Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 03-08-09, Second Sunday of Lent

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 03-08-09 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

March 8, 2009

Second Sunday of Lent

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Reading 2 Gospel

Reading 1
Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am!" he replied.
Then God said:
"Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a holocaust
on a height that I will point out to you."

When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven,
"Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am!" he answered.
"Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger.
"Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."
As Abraham looked about,
he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son.

Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
"I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
and make your descendants as countless
as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
your descendants shall take possession
of the gates of their enemies,
and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
shall find blessing—
all this because you obeyed my command."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

R. (116:9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
I believed, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted."
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Reading II
Rom 8:31b-34

Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?

Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us, who will condemn?
Christ Jesus it is who died—or, rather, was raised—
who also is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.

Gospel
Mk 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and John
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!
Let us make three tents:
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;
from the cloud came a voice,
"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone
but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[Salvation]

King of Endless Glory Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the King of Endless Glory Ping List.

[Salvation]

Vatican Presents Lenten Website: LENT 2009
A Scriptural Way of the Cross with Meditations by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (Lenten Prayer/Devotional)
Prayer, Fasting and Mercy by St. Peter Chrysologus, Early Church Father [Catholic Caucus]
History of Lent (Did the Church always have this time before Easter?)

Beginning of Lent
Lent (Catholic Encyclopedia - Caucus Thread)
At Lent, let us pray for the Pope (Muslim converts ask us to pray for the pope)
Daily Lenten Reflections 2009
LENTEN STATIONS [Stational Churches for Lent] (Catholic Caucus)

40 Days for Life campaign is now under way (February 25 - April 5]
This Lent, live as if Jesus Christ is indeed Lord of your life
Reconciliation, forgiveness, hope – and Lent
Intro to Fast and Abstinence 101
Lent: Why the Christian Must Deny Himself (with Scriptural references)

40 Ways to Improve Your Lent
Everything Lent (Lots of links)
The Best Kind of Fasting
Getting Serious About Lent
Lent Overview

Meditations on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ [Devotional]
On Lent... and Lourdes (Benedict XVI's Angelus address)
Lent for Newbies
Lent -- 2008 -- Come and Pray Each Day
Lent: Why the Christian Must Deny Himself

Lenten Workshop [lots of ideas for all]
Lent and Reality
Forty Days (of Lent) [Devotional/Reflections]
Pope Benedict takes his own advice, plans to go on retreat for Lent
GUIDE FOR LENT - What the Catholic Church Says

Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for Lent 2008
40 Days for Life: 2008 Campaigns [Lent Registration this week]
Vatican Web Site Focuses on Lent
Almsgiving [Lent]
Conversion Through Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving [Lent]

Feasting on Purple [Lent]
Lent: A Time for Prayer, Reflection and Giving
Denver Archbishop’s Lenten Message: “Restore us as a culture of Life”
Where does Ash Wednesday get its ashes?
Catholic Caucus: Daily Rosary Prayer for Lent

On the 40 Days of Lent General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI
Lenten Stations -- Stational Churches - visit each with us during Lent {Catholic Caucus}
Something New for Lent: Part I -- Holy Souls Saturdays
Reflections for Lent (February, March and April, 2007)
Lent 2007: The Love Letter Written by Pope Benedict

Pre-Lent through Easter Prayer and Reflections -- 2007
Stations of the Cross [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
For study and reflection during Lent - Mind, Heart, Soul [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Fast-Family observance Lenten season [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Pre-Lenten Days -- Family activities-Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras)[Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
40 Ways to Get the Most Out of Lent! [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

Lenten Fasting or Feasting? [Catholic Caucus]
Pope's Message for Lent-2007
THE TRUE NATURE OF FASTING (Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
The Triduum and 40 Days
The Three Practices of Lent: Praying, Fasting. Almsgiving

Why We Need Lent
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2006
Lent a Time for Renewal, Says Benedict XVI
Why You Should Celebrate Lent
Getting the Most Out of Lent

Lent: A Time to Fast From Media and Criticism Says President of Pontifical Liturgical Institute
Give it up (making a Lenten sacrifice)
The History of Lent
The Holy Season of Lent -- Fast and Abstinence
The Holy Season of Lent -- The Stations of the Cross

Lent and Fasting
Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots [Shrove Tuesday]
Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children
Ash Wednesday
All About Lent

[Salvation]

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1.  Sign of the Cross:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

2.  The Apostles Creed:  I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3.  The Lord's Prayer:  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 who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary:  HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be:  GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer.  Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, 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! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

 

The Mysteries of the Rosary

By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]

[Salvation]

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
 Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we  humbly pray,
 and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
 by the power of God,
 Cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
 Amen
+

[Salvation]

Change Worth Praying For

[Salvation]

 

 

March Devotion: Saint Joseph

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to the solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, this month is devoted to this great saint, the foster father of Christ. "It greatly behooves Christians, while honoring the Virgin Mother of God, constantly to invoke with deep piety and confidence her most chaste spouse, Saint Joseph. We have a well grounded conviction that such is the special desire of the Blessed Virgin herself." --Pope Leo XIII

FOR OUR WORK
Glorious Saint Joseph, pattern of all who are devoted to toil, obtain for me the grace to toil in the spirit of penance, in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to toil conscientiously, putting devotion to duty before my own inclinations; to labor with thankfulness and joy, deeming it an honor to employ and to develop, by my labor, the gifts I have received from Almighty God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time ill-spent, of talents unemployed, of good undone, and of my empty pride in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of thee, 0 Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.

OFFERING TO SAINT JOSEPH
O great Saint Joseph, thou generous depositary and dispenser of immortal riches, behold us prostrate at thy feet, imploring thee to receive us as thy servants and as thy children. Next to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, of which thou art the faithful copy, we acknowledge that there is no heart more tender, more compassionate than thine.

What, then, have we to fear, or, rather, for what should we not hope, if thou dost deign to be our benefactor, our master, our model, our father and our mediator? Refuse not, then, this favor, O powerful protector! We ask it of thee by the love thou hast for Jesus and Mary. Into thy hands we commit our souls and bodies, but above all the last moments of our lives.

May we, after having honored, imitated, and served thee on earth, eternally sing with thee the mercies of Jesus and Mary. Amen.

FOR THE INTERCESSION OF SAINT JOSEPH
O Joseph, virgin-father of Jesus, most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray every day for us to the same Jesus, the Son of God, that we, being defended by the power of His grace and striving dutifully in life, may be crowned by Him at the hour of death.

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

St. Joseph
St. Joseph was an ordinary manual laborer although descended from the royal house of David. In the designs of Providence he was destined to become the spouse of the Mother of God. His high privilege is expressed in a single phrase, "Foster-father of Jesus." About him Sacred Scripture has little more to say than that he was a just man-an expression which indicates how faithfully he fulfilled his high trust of protecting and guarding God's greatest treasures upon earth, Jesus and Mary.

The darkest hours of his life may well have been those when he first learned of Mary's pregnancy; but precisely in this time of trial Joseph showed himself great. His suffering, which likewise formed a part of the work of the redemption, was not without great providential import: Joseph was to be, for all times, the trustworthy witness of the Messiah's virgin birth. After this, he modestly retires into the background of holy Scripture.

Of St. Joseph's death the Bible tells us nothing. There are indications, however, that he died before the beginning of Christ's public life. His was the most beautiful death that one could have, in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Humbly and unknown, he passed his years at Nazareth, silent and almost forgotten he remained in the background through centuries of Church history. Only in more recent times has he been accorded greater honor. Liturgical veneration of St. Joseph began in the fifteenth century, fostered by Sts. Brigid of Sweden and Bernadine of Siena. St. Teresa, too, did much to further his cult.

At present there are two major feasts in his honor. On March 19 our veneration is directed to him personally and to his part in the work of redemption, while on May 1 we honor him as the patron of workmen throughout the world and as our guide in the difficult matter of establishing equitable norms regarding obligations and rights in the social order.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

St. Joseph is invoked as patron for many causes. He is the patron of the Universal Church. He is the patron of the dying because Jesus and Mary were at his death-bed. He is also the patron of fathers, of carpenters, and of social justice. Many religious orders and communities are placed under his patronage.

Patron: Against doubt; against hesitation; Americas; Austria; Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; California; Belgium; Bohemia; bursars; cabinetmakers; Canada; Carinthia; carpenters; China; Church; confectioners; craftsmen; Croatian people (in 1687 by decree of the Croatian parliament) dying people; emigrants; engineers; expectant mothers; families; fathers; Florence, Italy; happy death; holy death; house hunters; immigrants; interior souls; Korea; laborers; Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin; Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky; Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire; Mexico; Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee; New France; New World; Oblates of Saint Joseph; people in doubt; people who fight Communism; Peru; pioneers; pregnant women; protection of the Church; Diocese of San Jose, California; diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; social justice; Styria, Austria; travelers; Turin Italy; Tyrol Austria; unborn children Universal Church; Vatican II; Viet Nam; Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston West Virginia; wheelwrights; workers; working people.

Symbols: Bible; branch; capenter's square; carpenter's tools; chalice; cross; hand tools; infant Jesus; ladder; lamb; lily; monstrance; old man holding a lily and a carpenter's tool such as a square; old man holding the infant Jesus; plane; rod.

Things to Do:

• You must have a table that is simply overflowing with good Italian food on this day! The feast of San Giuseppe began in the Middle Ages when Sicily was suffering from a severe drought and the desperate people begged St. Joseph for rain. When they received rainy weather in response, they held a huge "feste" in Saint Joseph's honor. Even today, Sicilians go to Mass before their St. Joseph's day dinner and then process to their festive tables, decked out in flowers, breads, and all sorts of Italian foods. The priest blesses the food, and everyone shouts "Viva la tavola di San Giuse!" (which your children will readily do with great gusto). After the meal is done, everyone present is given something to take home, in the generous spirit of this day. Try some of our delicious recipes linked here. We especially recommend the traditional Minestrone. Italian sausage is always a favorite, as well. And you should have bread of all kinds — this recipe for Italian Decorative Breads can provide the traditional shape of your choice (St. Joseph's staff, his beard, etc). Also a traditional must with children is St. Joseph's Sfinge, (Cream Puffs), for which we have several recipes on this site. Plan a St. Joseph's potluck for this day with other Catholic families — invite a parish priest and ask his blessing over the food before you begin the meal. If you do not have the time or resources to do this, plan a smaller affair with your own family, complete with prayers to St. Joseph, a little procession with candles for the older children and your favorite hymns, and then the father of the family ought to say a special blessing over the food before you begin.

• Check out this wonderful site that explains the St. Joseph Altar more in detail, includes recipes, history, and allows virtual offerings.

• For further reading:
  1. Viva San Giuseppe: A guide for Saint Joseph Altars. This wonderful booklet is available

• The St. Joseph Altar Traditions of South Louisiana (Louisiana Life Series; No. 4) by Ethelyn Gay Orso, small booklet with photographs, available for purchase at online bookstores.
  
• Brand new beautifully illustrated hardcover book, Saint Joseph Altars by Kerri McCaffety (Photographer), also available at bookstores.

• Read the section of Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy on St. Joseph.

• Read Pope Leo XIII's encyclical on Devotion to St. Joseph.

• Interested in history? Read this article on the history of devotions to St. Joseph, Finding St. Joseph, by Sandra Miesel.
  
• Pray this prayer and litany in honor of St. Joseph with your family rosary tonight.

• Here is a link to several meditations on St. Joseph — choose the one that is perfect for you and your family!

• Here are some ideas for teaching children about St. Joseph.

• Young girls ought to pray to St. Joseph for their future spouse.

Prayer to St. Joseph

Pope Pius X composed this prayer to St. Joseph, patron of working people, that expresses concisely the Christian attitude toward labor. It summarizes also for us the lessons of the Holy Family's work at Nazareth.

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who devote their lives to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, setting devotion to duty in preference to my own whims; to work with thankfulness and joy, deeming it an honor to employ and to develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to work above all with a pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then render of time ill spent, of talents wasted, of good omitted, and of vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of you, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death, Amen.

 

Another prayer to St. Joseph:
To thee, O blessed Joseph, do we fly in our tribulation, and, having implored the help of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy holy patronage also. Through that charity which bound thee to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and through the paternal love with which thou didst embrace the Child Jesus, we humbly beseech the graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by His Blood, and with thy power and strength aid us in our necessities.

O most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving Father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be propitious to us, and from Heaven assist us in this our struggle against the power of darkness; and as once thou didst rescue the Child Jesus from death, so now protect God’s Holy Church from the snares of Her enemies and from all adversity.

Shield too, each one of us by thy constant protection, so that, supported by thine example and strengthened by thine aid, we may be able to live a holy life, to die a holy death, and to obtain eternal happiness in Heaven. Amen.

St. Joseph, Patron of a Peaceful Death [Catholic Caucus]
Octave: St. Joseph, A 'Man’s Man', Calling Men to Jesus

St. Teresa de Avila's Devotion to St. Joseph (Catholic Caucus)
Octave: St. Joseph, A 'Man’s Man', Calling Men to Jesus
Catholic Men's National Day of Prayer, MARCH 15, 2008, The Solemnity of St. Joseph (Catholic Caucus)
The Role and Responsibility of Fatherhood - St. Joseph as Model
St. Joseph - Foster Father of Jesus

Nothing Will Be Denied Him (St. Joseph)
The Heart of a Father [St. Joseph]
Quemadmodum Deus - Decree Under Blessed Pius IX, Making St. Joseph Patron of the Church
Father & Child (An Evangelical Minister preaches on St. Joseph)
March 19 - Feast of St. Joseph - Husband of Mary - Intercessor of civil leaders

St. Joseph's Spirit of Silence
St. Joseph's Humility (By St. Francis de Sales)
St. Joseph [Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary], Solemnity, March 19
The Heart of St. Joseph
MORE THAN PATRON OF HOMES, IT'S TIME FOR ST. JOSEPH TO GAIN HIGHEST OF RECOGNITION [Fatherhood]

The Importance of Devotion to St. Joseph
St. Francis de Sales on St. Joseph (Some Excerpts for St. Joseph's Day 2004)
St. Joseph: REDEMPTORIS CUSTOS (Guardian Of The Redeemer)
(Saint) Joseph the Patriarch: A Reflection on the Solemnity of St. Joseph
How I Rediscovered a "Neglected" Saint: Work of Art Inspires Young Man to Rediscover St. Joseph

[Salvation]

Holy Father's Prayer Intentions For March 2009

General: That the role of women may be more appreciated and used to good advantage in every country in the world.

Mission: That in the light of the letter addressed to them by Pope Benedict XVI, the Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in the Popular Republic of China may commit themselves to being the sign and instrument of unity, communion and peace.

[Salvation]

From: Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

The Sacrifice of Isaac and the Renewal of the Promise

---

[1] After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he
said, “Here am I.” [2] He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you
love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon
one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

[9a] When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built
an altar there, and laid the wood in order. [10] Then Abraham put forth his hand,
and took the knife to slay his son. [11] But the angel of the Lord called to him
from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” [12] He
said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that
you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
[13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a
ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and
offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

[15] And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
[16] and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done
this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, [17] I will indeed bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand
which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their
enemies, [18] and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless
themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”

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

22:1-19. God has been true to his promise: he has given Abraham a son by Sa-
rah. Now it is Abraham who should show his fidelity to God by being ready to
sacrifice his son in recognition that the boy belongs to God. The divine command
seems to be senseless: Abraham has already lost Ishmael, when he and Hagar
were sent away; now he is being asked to sacrifice his remaining son. Disposing
of his son meant detaching himself even from the fulfillment of the promise which
Isaac represented. In spite of all this, Abraham obeys.

‘”As a final stage in the purification of his faith, Abraham ‘who had received the
promises’ (Heb 11:17) is asked to sacrifice the son God had given him. Abra-
ham’s faith does hot weaken (’God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offe-
ring’), for he ‘considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead’
(Heb 11:19). And so the father of believers is conformed to the likeness of the
Father who will not spare his own son but will deliver him up for us all (cf. Rom
8:32). Prayer restores man to God’s likeness and enables him to share in the
power of God’s love that saves the multitude (cf. Rom 4:16-21)” (”Catechism of
the Catholic Church”,2572).

By undergoing the test which God set, Abraham attains perfection (cf. Jas 2:2 1)
and he is now in a position for God to reaffirm in a solemn way the promise he
made previously (cf. Gen 12:3).

The sacrifice of Isaac has features which make it a figure of the redemptive sacri-
fice of Christ. Thus, there is father giving up his son; the son who renders himself
to his father’s will; the tools of sacrifice such as the wood, the knife and the altar.
The account reaches its climax by showing through Abraham’s obedience and
Isaac’s non-resistance, God’s blessing will reach all the nations of the earth (cf.
v. 18). So, it is not surprising that Jewish tradition should attribute a certain re-
demptive value to Isaac’s submissiveness, and that the Fathers should see this
episode prefiguring the passion of Christ, only Son of the Father.

22:2. “The land of Moriah”: according to the Syrian version of Genesis this is
“land of the Ammorites”. We do not in fact know where this place was, although
in 2 Chronicles 3:1 it is identified the mountain on which the temple Jerusalem
was built, to stress the holiness of that site.

22:12. God is satisfied just by Abraham’s sincere intention to do what he asked
of him. It is as good as if he had actually done the deed. “The patriarch turned
sacrificer of his son for the love of God; he stained his right hand with blood in
intention and offered sacrifice. But owing to God’s loving kindness beyond telling
he received his son back safe and sound and went off with him; the patriarch was
commended for his intention and bedecked with a bright crown; he had engaged
in the ultimate struggle and at every stage given evidence of his godly attitude”
(”Homiliae in Genesim”, 48, 1).

Making an implicit comparison between Isaac and Jesus, St Paul sees in the
death of Christ the culmination of God’s love; he writes: “He who did not spare
his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with
him?” (Rom 8:32).

If staying Abraham’s hand was really a sign of God’s love, an even greater one
was really a sign of God’s love, an even greater one was the fact that he allowed
Jesus to die as an expiatory sacrifice on behalf of all mankind. In that later sacri-
fice, because “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8), “the abyss of malice which sin opens wide
has been bridged by his infinite charity. God did not abandon men. His plans
foresaw that the sacrifices of the old law would be insufficient to repair our faults
and reestablish the unity which had been lost. A man who was God would have
to offer himself up” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ is Passing By”, 95).

22: 13-14. Some Fathers see this ram as a prefigurement of Jesus Christ, insofar
as, like Christ, the ram. was immolated in order to save man. In this sense, St
Ambrose wrote: “Whom does the ram represent, if not him of whom it is written,
‘He has raised up a horn for his people’ (Ps 148:14)? [...] Christ: It is He whom
Abraham saw in that sacrifice; it was his passion he saw. Thus, our Lord himself
says of Abraham: ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he
saw it and was glad’ (Jn 8:56). Therefore Scripture says: ‘Abraham called the
name of that place ‘The Lord will provide,’ so that today one can say: the Lord
appeared on the mount, that is, he appeared to Abraham revealing his future pas
sion in his body, whereby he redeemed the world; and sharing, at the same time,
the nature of his passion when he caused him to see the ram suspended by his
horns. The thicket stands for the scaffold of the cross” (”De Abraham”, 1, 8, 77-
7.8).

*********************************************************************************************
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: Romans 8:31b-34

Trust in God

---

[31b] If God is for us, who is against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son
but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? [33] Who
shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; [34] who is
to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead,
who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us?

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

31-39. The elect will emerge unscathed and victorious from all attacks, dangers
and sufferings and will do so not through their own efforts but by virtue of the all-
powerful aid of him who has loved them from all eternity and who did not hesitate
to have his own Son die for their salvation. It is true that as long as we are on
this earth we cannot attain salvation, but we are assured that we will attain it pre-
cisely because God will not withhold all the graces we need to obtain this happy
outcome: all that is needed is that we desire to receive this divine help. Nothing
that happens to us can separate us from the Lord—not fear of death or love of life,
not the bad angels or devils, not the princes or the powers of this world, nor the
sufferings we undergo or which threaten us nor the worst that might befall us.
“Paul himself”, St John Chrysostom reminds us, “had to contend with numerous
enemies. The barbarians attacked him; his custodians laid traps for him; even
the faithful, sometimes in great numbers, rose against him; yet Paul always
came out victorious. We should not forget that the Christian who is faithful to the
laws of his God will defeat both men and Satan himself” (”Hom. on Rom.”, 15).

This is the attitude which enables us to live as children of God, who fear neither
life nor death: “Our Lord wants us to be in the world and to love the world but
without being worldly. Our Lord wants us to remain in this world—which is now
so mixed up and where the clamor of lust and disobedience and purposeless
rebellion can be heard—to teach people to live with joy [...]. Don’t be afraid of the
paganized world: our Lord has in fact chosen us to be leaven, salt and light in
this world. Don’t be worried. The world won’t harm you unless you want it to. No
enemy of our soul can do anything if we don’t consent. And we won’t consent,
with the grace of God and the protection of our Mother in heaven” (S. Bernal,
“Monsignor Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer”, p. 213).

31. This exclamation of the Apostle vividly reveals the full extent of the love of
God the Father, who not only listens to our prayers but anticipates our needs.
God is with us, he is always by our side. This is a cry expressing confidence
and optimism, despite our personal wretchedness; it is firmly based on our
sense of divine sonship. “Clothed in grace, we can cross mountains (cf. Ps 103:
10), and climb the hill of our Christian duty, without halting on the way. If we use
these resources with a firm purpose and beg our Lord to grant us an ever increa-
sing hope, we shall possess the infectious joy of those who now they are chil-
dren of God: ‘If God is for us, who is against us?’ (Rom 8:31) Let us be optimists.
Moved by the power of hope, we shall fight to wipe away the trail of filth and
slime left by the sowers of hatred. We shall find a new joyful perspective to the
world, seeing that it has sprung forth beautiful and fair from the hands of God.
We shall give it back to him with that same beauty” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of
God”, 219).

*********************************************************************************************
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 9:2-10

The Transfiguration

---

[2] And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and led
them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before
them, [3] and His garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on
earth bleach them. [4] And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they
were talking to Jesus. [5] And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are
here; let us make three booths, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
[6] For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. [7] And a
cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved
Son; listen to Him.” [8] And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one
with them but Jesus only.

[9] And as they were coming down the mountain, He charged them to tell no one
what they had seen, until the Son of Man should have risen from the dead. [10]
So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead
meant.

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

2-10. We contemplate in awe this manifestation of the glory of the Son of God
to three of His disciples. Ever since the Incarnation, the divinity of our Lord has
usually been hidden behind His humanity. But Christ wishes to show, to these
favorite disciples, who will later be pillars of the Church, the splendor of His divine
glory, in order to encourage them to follow the difficult way that lies ahead, fixing
their gaze on the happy goal which is awaiting them at the end. This is why, as
St. Thomas comments (cf. “Summa Theologia”, III, q. 45, a. 1), it was appropriate
for Him to give them an insight into His glory. The fact that the Transfiguration
comes immediately after the first announcement of His passion, and His prophetic
words about how His followers would also have to carry His cross, shows us that
“through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

What happened at the Transfiguration? To understand this miraculous event in
Christ’s life, we must remember that in order to redeem us by His passion and
death our Lord freely renounced divine glory and became man, assuming flesh
which was capable of suffering and which was not glorious, becoming like us in
every way except sin (cf. Hebrew 4:15). In the Transfiguration, Jesus Christ
willed that the glory which was His as God and which His soul had from the
moment of the Incarnation, should miraculously become present in His body.
“We should learn from Jesus’ attitude in these trials. During His life on earth
He did not even want the glory that belong to Him. Though He had the right to
be treated as God, He took the form of a servant, a slave (cf. Philippians 2:6)”
(St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 62). Bearing in mind WHO became
man (the divinity of the person and the glory of His soul), it was appropriate for
His body to be glorious; given the PURPOSE of His Incarnation, it was not ap-
propriate, usually, for His glory to be evident. Christ shows His glory in the
Transfiguration in order to move us to desire the divine glory which will be given
us so that, having this hope, we too can understand “that the sufferings of this
present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to
us” (Romans 8:18).

2. According to Deuteronomy (19:15), to bear witness to anything the evidence
of two or three much concur. Perhaps this is why Jesus wanted three Apostles
to be present. It should be pointed out that these three Apostles were specially
loved by Him; they were with Him also at the raising of the daughter of Jairus
(Mark 5:37) and will also be closest to Him during His agony at Gethsemane
(Mark 14:33). Cf. note on Matthew 17:1-13.

7. This is how St. Thomas Aquinas explains the meaning of the Transfiguration:
“Just as in Baptism, where the mystery of the first regeneration was proclaimed,
the operation of the whole Trinity was made manifest, because the Son Incarnate
was there, the Holy Spirit appeared under the form of a dove, and the Father
made Himself known in the voice; so also in the Transfiguration, which is the sign
of the second regeneration [the Resurrection], the whole Trinity appears—the
Father in the voice, the Son in the man, the Holy Spirit in the bright cloud; for just
as in Baptism He confers innocence, as signified by the simplicity of the dove, so
in the Resurrection will He give His elect the clarity of glory and the refreshment
from every form of evil, as signified by the bright cloud” (”Summa Theologiae”, III,
q. 45, 1.4 ad 2). For, really, the Transfiguration was in some way an anticipation
not only of Christ’s glorification but also of ours. As St. Paul says, “it is the same
Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if
children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer
with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:16-17).

10. That the dead would rise was already revealed in the Old Testament (cf.
Daniel 12:2-3; 2 Maccabees 7:9; 12:43) and was believed by pious Jews (cf.
John 11:23-25). However, they were unable to understand the profound truth of
the death and Resurrection of the Lord: they expected a glorious and triumphant
Messiah, despite the prophecy that He would suffer and die (cf. Isaiah 53).
Hence the Apostles’ oblique approach; they too do not dare to directly question
our Lord about His Resurrection.

*********************************************************************************************
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]

Moriah, Tabor, Calvary: Darkness Can Be Radiant (Zenit)

Moriah, Tabor, Calvary: Darkness Can Be Radiant

Biblical Reflection for 2nd Sunday of Lent 2009

By Father Thomas Rosica, CSB

TORONTO, MARCH 4, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Moriah. Sinai. Nebo. Carmel. Horeb. Gilboa. Gerizim. Mount of Beatitudes. Tabor. Hermon. Zion. Mount of Olives. Calvary. Golgotha. Mountains are often used in the Bible as the stages of important encounters between God and his people. Though we may have never visited the lands of the Bible, we are all familiar with these biblical mountains and the great events of our salvation history that took place there.

Today's Old Testament and Gospel reading take place on two important biblical mountains-- Mount Moriah and Mount Tabor. Both readings give us profound insights into our God and his Son, Jesus, who is our Savior. First let us consider the story of the sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham as portrayed in Genesis 22:1-19. The story is called the Akedah in Hebrew (Anglicization of the Aramaic word for "binding") and it easily provokes scandal for the modern mind: What sort of God is this who can command a father to kill his own son?

How many pagan voices were assailing Abraham at this moment? What would a contemporary father do if he were to be called on to sacrifice his only son to God? He would be thought mad if he even considered it -- and unfaithful to God as well. What a poignant story indeed! "Take your son, your only son Isaac whom you love ... and offer him as a burnt offering. ... So Abraham rose early in the morning." Because Abraham listened to the Lord's messenger, his only son's life was spared. The binding of Isaac, then, is a symbol of life, not death, for Abraham is forbidden to sacrifice his son.

What happens on Mount Moriah finds an echo in what happens atop Mount Tabor and Mount Calvary in the New Testament: The mounts Moriah, Tabor and Calvary are significant places of vision in the Bible. For on these peaks, we see a God who never abandons us in our deepest despair, terror and death. God is with us through thick and thin, through day and night.

These mountains teach us that it is only when we are willing to let go of what we love most and cherish most in this life, to offer it back to God, the giver of all good gifts, that we can ever hope to receive it back in ways we never dreamed of or imagined. Only then will we experience resurrection, healing, consoling light and new life.

We can only speculate on what lies behind the story of the Transfiguration -- one of the Gospel's most mysterious and awesome visions (Mark 9:2-8; Matthew 17:1-8; Luke 9:28-36). Peter, James and John had an overwhelming experience with the Lord on Mount Tabor. Following the night of temptation and preceding the blackness of Golgotha, the glorious rays of the Transfiguration burst forth. Before their eyes, the Jesus they had known and with whom they walked became transfigured. His countenance was radiant; his garments streaming with white light. At his side, enveloped in glory, stood Moses, the mighty liberator, who had led Israel out of slavery, and Elijah, the greatest of Israel's prophets.

Jesus needed the light and affirmation of the mountaintop experience in his own life. In the midst of his passion predictions, he needed Mount Tabor, to strengthen him as he descended into the Jordan Valley and made his way up to Jerusalem. For every disciple since, it is the same. Those who follow Jesus must ascend the mountain to catch a glimpse of the mystery of God's presence in our world and in our lives.

And yet Mark's story of Jesus transfigured reminds us that gazing in contemplation is not enough. The disciples are told to listen to Jesus, the Beloved of God, and then return to their daily routine down in the valley.

The awesome Gospel story of the Transfiguration gives us an opportunity to look at some of our own mountaintop experiences. How have such experiences shed light on the shadows and darkness of life? What would our lives be without some of these peak experiences? How often do we turn to those few but significant experiences for strength, courage and perspective? How has the mountaintop experience enabled us to listen more attentively to God's voice -- a voice calling us to fidelity and authenticity in our belief? When we're down in the valley we often can't see Christ's glory.

The most consoling message of the Transfiguration is perhaps for those who suffer, and those who witness the deformation of their own bodies and the bodies of their loved ones. Even Jesus will be disfigured in the passion, but will rise with a glorious body with which he will live for eternity and, faith tells us, with which he will meet us after death.

So many voices assail us that we find it difficult to listen to God's voice. Before light envelops us, we need to go through darkness. Before the heavens open up, we need to go through the mud and dirt. We must experience both mountains -- Tabor and Golgotha -- in order to see the glory of God. The Transfiguration teaches us that God's brilliant life included death, and there is no way around it -- only through it.

It also reminds us that the terrifying darkness can be radiant and dazzling. During moments of transfiguration, God penetrates the hardened, incredulous, even disquieting regions within us, about which we really do not know what to do, and he leaves upon them the imprint of his own face, in all its radiant and dazzling glory and beauty.

 

* * *

Basilian Father Thomas Rosica is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and the chief executive officer of the Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Television Network in Canada

[Salvation]

[Salvation]

God Put Abraham to the Test

God Put Abraham to the Test

March 7th, 2009 by Fr. Jack Peterson

Our first reading this week starts off: “God put Abraham to the test.” The book of Genesis teaches us that God asks Abraham to make the incomprehensible sacrifice of his only son.

“Then God said, ‘Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as holocaust on a height that I will point out to you’” (Gn 22: 1-2).

On the surface, God’s request makes no rational sense. Isaac is the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish a new covenant with mankind. Even though Abraham and his wife, Sarah, are elderly and barren, God promises them that their descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

So, God sends them the great gift of Isaac in their old age. There is no apparent reason to ask Abraham to sacrifice his son. Yet, we know that Abraham’s willingness to be completely obedient and do what God asked was very pleasing to God. God tested Abraham and found him worthy.

It is important to note that in the end, God spares Abraham from making the sacrifice of his son and provides a substitute. “Do not lay your hand on the boy … Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”

The willingness of Abraham to offer up his young son came on the heels of another profound act of faith. The Lord asks Abraham to uproot himself and his whole family and to set out on a journey. God invites this elderly man whose large family is well entrenched in their homeland to pick up his life and get on the road. Additionally, God does not reveal where he is going.

This request of God also makes no rational sense. It requires a tremendous act of faith and trust. God has a plan and a purpose for Abraham that is not yet revealed. What God wants is radical faith in Him. These two great acts of faith — the willingness to get up and go to a foreign land with his whole retinue, and his willingness to sacrifice his only son — are the essence of why we traditionally call Abraham our “father in faith.”

Because of this trust in God, Abraham is a pillar of our Faith and a model to be imitated. Every so often, God sends other men and women into our lives to inspire us and encourage us to trust in Him with all our hearts.

There is a graduate student at Marymount who has developed a deep faith and trust in God, and is an inspiration to many of us on campus. He is confined to a wheelchair because he has spina bifida, a spinal cord birth defect that leaves those afflicted with it paralyzed in various ways. This young man is paralyzed from the waist down. He got involved with campus ministry in a variety of ways during his undergraduate years, beginning as a volunteer in our office.

This amazing young man has endured countless trials in his life, most of them connected with his condition. He has also had to endure the death of his father following a four year battle with cancer. Throughout these last five years his faith has become strong and deep.

He recently spoke to students at an event on campus about disabilities and faith. He explained that his belief in God and his acceptance of God’s love for him has made all the difference in the world to him. He has been strengthened to completely surrender his life to God and to trust that Our Lord has a special plan for his life.

While he still dreams about being able to walk one day, he said that his faith in God is the factor that has enabled him to be strong in the face of his challenges, generous with his time in service of others, patient with those around him who often misunderstand him, and hope-filled while embracing the cross of living with spina bifida. The faith of this young man is truly inspirational on so many levels.

This Lent, let us pray earnestly and ask God to deepen our faith in His love and His loving plans for us, especially when they do not make sense to us. Let us seek the grace to embrace our crosses and allow them to increase our virtue and be a channel of God’s strength. Let us find great inspiration in the lives of those around us and those who have gone before us like Abraham to be men and women of deep faith in Almighty God.

 

Fr. Peterson is Campus Minister at Marymount University in Arlington and interim director of the Youth Apostles Institute. (This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

[Salvation]

Catholic Doors

Twelve days having passed since we entered the Lenten Season, it is now a good time to review how our living faith and perseverance is leading us towards our eternal glory. Today's readings from the Holy Scriptures serve that specific purpose in our lives.

The First Reading from the Book of Genesis tells us that God tested Abraham. [Gen. 22:1] In other words, God tested his living faith. God wanted to see just how faithful Abraham would be in obedience and servitude.

In this particular Reading that speaks of Abraham and Isaac as father and son, we see a lot of images of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. When God called upon Abraham, he answered, "Here I am." The two words, "I am," echo the identity of both, God the Father and Jesus Christ. These two Words, prophetic in nature, implied the arrival of Jesus in the world as the promised Messiah.

After calling Abraham, God the Father commanded him to take his son Isaac whom he loved and to go to the land of Moriah to offer him there as a burnt offering on a mountain that will be shown to him.

As Genesis 22:3-8 tells us, Abraham obeyed God. Early in the morning, he set out towards the mountain. Genesis 22:6 tells us that "Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac." This passage echoes Jesus carrying the wooden cross to Calvary. It echoes how God the Father put the weight of the sins of the world upon His Son Jesus Christ whom He loved very much."

When Abraham came to the place that God had shown him, he built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

The action of Abraham echoes perfect obedience to God. It echoes that living faith without actions (works) is dead. [Jas. 2:26] True faith is living faith that shines in actions.

When we heard that Isaac was bound and laid on top of the wood, we were reminded of Jesus who was bound and laid on the cross to be nailed in our place so we may receive our salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. [Gen. 22:10] The moment had arrived! What went through the mind of Abraham at that moment? It is obvious that the fear of God must have been great in Abraham. He had chosen to sacrifice his son versus opposing God's command. Abraham must have known that anything was possible to God. If it was the Divine Will of God, He would raise Isaac from the dead. And what went through the mind of his son? His obedience to God and to his father must have been great to allow himself to be slaughtered as a lamb at the burnt offering ceremony.

Just when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, the angel of the Lord called him from heaven and told him not to lay his hand on the boy or do anything to him. [Gen. 22:11-2] The faith of Abraham had been tested and God knew by his actions that he had a sincere heart. Abraham obeyed God to the end.

Something of interest that many of you may not have noticed or heard before. It is the reference to the angel of the Lord. In the Old Testament, there are frequent references to the angel of the Lord. [Gen. 16:7-13; Exo. 3:2, 32:22-32; Num. 22:22-8; Judges 2:1; Zech. 12:8, etc...] In those passages, the angel of the Lord is identified as Yahweh Himself.

Knowing that God the Father is formless, being the first mover among the Three Divine Presences of the Holy Trinity, and believing in the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church that the first mover cannot be moved, these passages of the Old Testament reveal to us that the angel of the Lord was the Second Divine Presence of the Holy Trinity, Jesus Himself. These passages tell us that before the incarnation of the Lord Jesus, the eternal Word of God, Jesus manifested Himself visibly throughout the early history of the world in an angelic form.

After the angel of the Lord had stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son, Abraham saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horn. He took the animal and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. [Gen. 22:13]

Later on, God called Abraham a second time. This time, God made a promise to Abraham, that because he did not withhold his son, he would be blessed. His offsprings would become as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.

Today, we can perceive what was meant by that promise of God. We know that Abraham was to become the spiritual father of mankind. [Rom. 4:17] He was the first of those to be saved by their living faith in God, first through the angel of God in the Old Testament and then through Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

The Lord concluded by saying that through the offspring of Abraham, all the nations of the earth shall gain blessings for themselves. [Gen. 22:18] Those word teach us that every nation of the world is privileged to have as some of its citizens the children of God who have received the Sacrament of Baptism through faith in Jesus Christ. Through the offspring of Abraham, blessings have been bestowed upon all the nations. Through the offspring of Abraham, the nations have learned the ways of God, the Christian faith, true righteousness, equal justice, human rights, all what is holy and pure, and pleasing to the Lord God.

Moving along to the Second Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, we perceive that perseverance moves alongside living faith. In the early days of the Church, there was much persecution and many of the converts feared losing their lives.

Addressing this issue, St. Paul told them, "If God is for us, who is against us? [Rom. 8:31] It is clear that God is on the side of the Christians. As such, there is nothing to fear. If God made the ultimate sacrifice of His only beloved Son, will He not alongside with Jesus provide the Christians with all their needs? Certainly He will!

Then, St. Paul asked two more questions. "Who will bring any charges against God's elect? Is it God who justifies? [Rom. 8:33] This affirms to us that the justification and salvation of the Christian is not a question of arbitration. In the days of Job, Satan travelled back and forth between Heaven and earth, seeking God's permission to shipwreck whoever would not persevere in the living God. [Job 1:6-12, 2:1-8] But those days are now over! Satan, the accuser of men, he who accused them day and night before our God, has been thrown down from Heaven. [Rev. 12:7-10] He can no longer bring charges against the children of God for Jesus is now our Mediator before God the Father. Jesus made the perfect sacrifice for our sins. For those who persevere in their living faith, Jesus atoned as the Lamb of God to secure their righteousness before the Heavenly Father.

Since we have Jesus on our side, who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will it be hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, none of these things will separate us! For the love of Christ is eternal. While we may temporarily suffer in these physical bodies, our living hope in Christ is in the life to come as spiritual beings. Can the worldly ways that will come to an end separate us from our spiritual lives? No!

If we do suffer hardship, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness or even death as Christian who live their faith in Christ, let us offer it to God. For in the end, a Heavenly reward awaits all those who persevere in their living faith. Hardship, persecution and death makes us conquerors through Jesus who loves us. Through Him we have assurance of our eternal life and salvation, having overcome the worldly ways of the flesh, of self-centredness, wealth, fame, etc...

Today's Reading from the Gospel of Mark gives us a glimpse at what awaits those who persevere in their living faith. When Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain, they witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. His clothes became dazzling white such as no one on earth could bleach them.

White clothing is an image of glory. This is supported by numerous biblical passages. [Rev. 3:3-5, 3:18, 4:4, 6:11, 7:9, 12]

The presence of Elijah and Moses on the mountain is symbolic of the fulfillment of the prophets (through Elijah) and the Law (through Moses) that is found in the Old Testament. Their living presence is proof that God's children of the Old Testament who persevered in their living faith have inherited the Kingdom of God.

During that Reading, we heard when Peter offered to make three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. Peter wanted to eternalize his joy by building three tents as was done in the Feast of Tabernacles. [Hos. 12:9]

With everything that was happening, Peter was terrified. He was terrified in the sense that he was lost for words at the mystery of Christ. His fear was his great unworthiness of being in the presence of God incarnated.

To add to this overwhelming experience, a cloud overshadowed them and God the Father spoke, "This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him!" The cloud is symbolic of the presence of Yahweh in the Old Testament. [Ex. 16:10, 19:9 24:15-6; 32:9] The words, "my beloved son" is a repetition of the words of God that were spoken at the Baptism of Jesus. [Mt. 3:17; Mk. 1:11] The words, "listen to Him" is a command to heed to Jesus or face the consequences for rejecting the Word of God.

Overcome by the Divine presence of God, the disciples fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. [Mt. 17:6-8] Jesus went to them, touched them, told them to get up and not to be afraid. When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. Coming down the mountain echoes a new Covenant. When Moses received the Covenant of the Law, he also descended the mountain while carrying the two tablets of the Covenant. [Ex. 32:15, 34:29] Now the new and everlasting Covenant of Grace was about to begin.

Jesus commanding the disciples to tell no one echoes when Daniel received a vision and was commanded to keep the words secret until the time of the end. [Dan. 12:4, 9] Today's Gospel ends by telling us that the disciples kept the matter to themselves, this echoing how Daniel also kept the vision of things to come secret to himself. [Dan. 7:28]

As was just explained to you, living faith and perseverance leads us to eternal glory. Your presence here today is a sign of your living faith. Your Christian behaviour in the world is a sign of your perseverance in your faith. Today, we are gathered here together so we can strengthen one another to persevere in our living faith in the hope of the eternal glory that awaits us at the end of this life.

Continuing with the celebration of the Holy Mass, let us ask the Lord Jesus to strengthen and preserve our living faith through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. This is especially important to us during the Lenten Season when we are reflecting upon our Christian lives in preparation for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that will be celebrated on Easter Sunday.

[Salvation]

The Road to Emmaus

Second Sunday of Lent

By Brian Pizzalato *

 

(Cycle B)

First Reading – Gen. 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

Responsorial Psalm – Ps. 116: 10, 15, 16-17, 18-19

Second Reading – Rom. 8:31b-34

Gospel Reading – Mk. 9:2-10

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading Mark recounts for us the Transfiguration of Jesus, an event that is absolutely packed with meaning.

The new Moses

One of the main themes of Mark’s Gospel, as has been noted many times in this column, is an emphasis on the new and greater exodus prophesied by Isaiah (cf. 40-55). We are brought back to this theme when we reflect on Jesus’ Transfiguration.

In the Transfiguration, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a mountain and he is transfigured. In the midst of this, Elijah and Moses appear with Jesus, "and they were talking to Jesus" (Mk. 9:4b).

Moses and Elijah represent the law and the prophets. Their appearance is a way of showing us that Jesus is indeed the complete fulfillment of the law and prophets. "Moses and Elijah had seen God’s glory on the Mountain; the Law and the Prophets had announced the Messiah’s sufferings" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 555). They were also the only ones in the Old Testament to hear God’s voice atop Mount Sinai.

Jesus is the focus, and this is made clear near the end of the passage when it says, "And suddenly looking around they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only" (Mk. 9:8).

(This is reminiscent of what will take place after the Resurrection when the two disciples and Jesus break bread in Emmaus. After celebrating the Eucharist with them, Jesus "vanished out of their sight" (Lk. 24:31b). Here too Jesus is the focus; though it is the Eucharistic presence of Jesus which is the focus this time. Jesus himself brings us to understand this through his vanishing out of their sight.)

Mark continues to show us that the promise of a new and greater exodus is being fulfilled in the new Moses, Jesus. This is demonstrated by many parallels between Moses and an event in Exodus 24 and Jesus’ Transfiguration. For example:

1. Moses himself is present in both events.

2. Both events take place on the seventh day (Ex. 24:16; Mk. 9:2).

3. Both take place on a mountain (Ex. 24:13, 15).

4. Moses and Jesus both take three companions (Ex. 24:1).

5. Both of their faces shine with God’s glory (Ex. 34:29).

6. In both events there is the glory cloud of God’s presence, the shekinah (Ex. 24:15-16).

7. God speaks through a heavenly voice (Ex. 24:12).

In addition to this we have further confirmation that Jesus is the new Moses leading a new and greater exodus.

Have you ever wondered what exactly Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking about? Mark and Matthew don’t tell us. However, Luke does. Luke tells us that they "spoke of his exodus which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem" (9:30). So, interestingly they speak of his exodus, but not out of Egypt, but at Jerusalem.

Also fascinating is the fact that the Book of Revelation speaks of Jerusalem as the new Egypt (cf. 11:7-8). In this same context, Revelation also speaks of two witnesses. "They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying" (Rev. 11:6a). This is exactly what Elijah did in 1 Kings 17:1. They also "have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to afflict the earth with every plague, as often as they desire" (Rev. 11:6b). This is exactly what Moses did in Exodus 7:17.

The next thing Mark shows us, confirming Jesus is the new Moses, is a connection with an Old Testament feast inaugurated under Moses. Peter requests that he be able to make three tents, which can also be translated "booths" or "tabernacles." In Leviticus 23:33-43 we are told of the institution of the Feast of Booths which celebrates God’s bringing Israel out of the land of Egypt, in addition to commemorating the giving of the law.

We also have the fact that we hear the voice of the Father say, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him" (Mk. 9:7). This is a reference back to a prophecy of Moses himself when he said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren – him shall you heed…" (Dt. 18:15). Jesus is in fact the new and greater Moses, the eternal Son of the Father.

More beautiful truths

There are of course other aspects of the event of the Transfiguration which are important.

One thing which must be mentioned is that this event takes place right after Jesus has predicted his suffering, death and resurrection, and the Apostles having a difficult time with this bit of important information (cf. Mk. 8:31-33).

Jesus now proceeds to give Peter, James and John a special glimpse of his glory. The Transfiguration is a brief foretaste of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. The Apostles, given their frail human nature, needed this after a prediction of his forthcoming death.

We also get a glimpse of Jesus’ divinity, of the fact that he is God. This is done so through the Transfiguration itself and words which hearken us back to Jesus’ baptism. Like his baptism we again have the presence, and thus revelation, of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the Father speaking to the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Church in her wisdom gives us this reading during our arduous journey through Lent. We, like the disciples, need to be buoyed up in our hope as we traverse the wilderness of the Lenten season. We too get a glimpse of what is to come when we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ at Easter. But more importantly we are preparing for our final exodus from this life. We prepare with the joyful hope of seeing the Lord face to face in all his glory for all eternity.

[Salvation]

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

Mass Readings

First reading

Genesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18 ©

God put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he called. ‘Here I am’ he replied. ‘Take your son,’ God said ‘your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.’   When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.   But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he said. ‘I am here’ he replied. ‘Do not raise your hand against the boy’ the angel said. ‘Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son.’ Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son.   The angel of the Lord called Abraham a second time from heaven. ‘I swear by my own self – it is the Lord who speaks – because you have done this, because you have not refused me your son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your descendants as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward for your obedience.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 115:10,15-19

Second reading

Romans 8:31-34 ©

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.

Gospel

Mark 9:2-10 ©

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.   As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean.

[Salvation]

The Work of God

 

Year B

 -  Second Sunday of Lent

The Transfiguration - This is my Son, my beloved.

Mark 9:2-10

2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,
3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.
4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.
7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!"
8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

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

I invited my three closest apostles to come with me to the mountain to pray. It was there that I was transfigured.

The divinity in me became stronger than my humanity and they were able to have a real vision of things never seen before and to hear the voice of my Father telling them and all creation to listen to me.

My human appearance could not hide the divinity within, my light was shining brightly and they received an interior consolation far greater than anything that can be imagined. They were in the presence of their God, they did not know what to say, they simply enjoyed the moment.

I am the Lord your God, clothed in majesty and glory. I descended to the world and assumed the humble appearance of a man. Being the Supreme Word that created the heavens and the earth, everything seen and unseen, I came to teach with authority the knowledge for salvation.

Salvation can only be found in me, the way, the truth and the life. My Father has testified about Himself through creation. I spoke and everything was made. The Holy Spirit has been always sustaining the created universe for the glory of the Holy Trinity. God is with you.

During the transfiguration, the voice of my Father was heard inviting all creation to listen to me.

Listen to me and you will also be transfigured by my light. The concealed divinity that my apostles saw, is the gift that I give to everyone who listens to my word, it is the seed that will transform your wretched bodies into divine beings, children of the Most High.

Listen to me and desire my word constantly. Desire my light, desire to be filled with my divinity, let my light begin transfiguring you, so that you may rejoice being holy in my will.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

[Salvation]

Sunday, March 8, 2009
Second Sunday of Lent (Total Consecration -  Day 17)

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18 Psalm 116:10, 15-19 Romans 8:31-34 Mark 9:2-10 True wisdom, then, consists in works, not in great talents, which the world admires; for the wise in the world's estimation ... are the foolish who set at naught the will of God and know not how to control their passions. -- St. Bridget of Sweden

[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]

Novena for the Protection of the Unborn

[GonzoII]

The Daily Psalms:

Sunday

Douay Rheims Version

 

MATINS: First Nocturn

 

Psalm 1
Beatus Vir

The happiness of the just: and the evil state of the wicked.

1 Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence. 2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper. 4 Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: nor sinners in the council of the just. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 2
Quare Fremuerunt

The vain efforts of persecutors against Christ and his Church.

1 Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? 2 The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ. 3 Let us break their bonds asunder: and let us cast away their yoke from us. 4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: and the Lord shall deride them. 5 Then shall he speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his rage. 6 But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, preaching his commandment. 7 The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. 11 Serve ye the Lord with fear: and rejoice unto him with trembling. 12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way. 13 When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, blessed are all they that trust in him.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 3
Domine, Quid Multiplicati

The prophet's danger and delivery from his son, Absalom: mystically the passion and resurrection of Christ.

1 The psalm of David when he fled from the face of his son Absalom. 2 WHY, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? many are they who rise up against me. 3 Many say to my soul: There is no salvation for him in his God. 4 But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. 5 I have cried to the Lord with my voice: and he hath heard me from his holy hill. 6 I have slept and taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me. 7 I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God. 8 For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: thou hast broken the teeth of sinners. 9 Salvation is of the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

SECOND NOCTURN:

Psalm 8
Domine Dominus Noster

God is wonderful in his works; especially in mankind, singularly exalted by the incarnation of Christ.

1 Unto the end, for the presses: a psalm for David. 2 O LORD our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens. 3 Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger. 4 For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded. 5 What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him? 6 Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour: 7 and hast set him over the works of thy hands. 8 Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields. 9 The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea. 10 O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 9a
Confitebor Tibi Domine

The church praiseth God for his protection against her enemies.

1 Unto the end, for the hidden things of the Son. A psalm for David. 2 I WILL give praise to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will relate all thy wonders. 3 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing to thy name, O thou most high. 4 When my enemy shall be turned back: they shall be weakened and perish before thy face. 5 For thou hast maintained my judgment and my cause: thou hast sat on the throne, who judgest justice. 6 Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles, and the wicked one hath perished: thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever. 7 The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end: and their cities thou hast destroyed. Their memory hath perished with a noise: 8 but the Lord remaineth for ever. He hath prepared his throne in judgment: 9 and he shall judge the world in equity, he shall judge the people in justice. 10 And the Lord is become a refuge for the poor: a helper in due time in tribulation. 11 And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord. 12 Sing ye to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion: declare his ways among the Gentiles: 13 For requiring their blood he hath remembered them: he hath not forgotten the cry of the poor. 14 Have mercy on me, O Lord: see my humiliation which I suffer from my enemies. 15 Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion. 16 I will rejoice in thy salvation: the Gentiles have stuck fast in the destruction which they have prepared. Their foot hath been taken in the very snare which they hid. 17 The Lord shall be known when he executeth judgments: the sinner hath been caught in the works of his own hands. 18 The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God. 19 For the poor man shall not be forgotten to the end: the patience of the poor shall not perish for ever. 20 Arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened: let the Gentiles be judged in thy sight. 21 Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them: that the Gentiles may know themselves to be but men.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

THIRD NOCTURN

Psalm 9b
Confitebor Tibi Domine

The church praiseth God for his protection against her enemies.

22 Why, O Lord, hast thou retired afar off? why dost thou slight us in our wants, in the time of trouble? 23 Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: they are caught in the counsels which they devise. 24 For the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul: and the unjust man is blessed. 25 The sinner hath provoked the Lord according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him: 26 God is not before his eyes: his ways are filthy at all times. Thy judgments are removed from his sight: he shall rule over all his enemies. 27 For he hath said in his heart: I shall not be moved from generation to generation, and shall be without evil. 28 His mouth is full of cursing, and of bitterness, and of deceit: under his tongue are labour and sorrow. 29 He sitteth in ambush with the rich in private places, that he may kill the innocent. 30 His eyes are upon the poor man: He lieth in wait in secret like a lion in his den. He lieth in ambush that he may catch the poor man: to catch the poor, whilst he draweth him to him. 31 In his net he will bring him down, he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor. 32 For he hath said in his heart: God hath forgotten, he hath turned away his face not to see to the end. 33 Arise, O Lord God, let thy hand be exalted: forget not the poor. 34 Wherefore hath the wicked provoked God? for he hath said in his heart: He will not require it. 35 Thou seest it, for thou considerest labour and sorrow: that thou mayst deliver them into thy hands. To thee is the poor man left: thou wilt be a helper to the orphan. 36 Break thou the arm of the sinner and of the malignant: his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found. 37 The Lord shall reign to eternity, yea, for ever and ever: ye Gentiles shall perish from his land. 38 The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart. 39 To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, that man may no more presume to magnify himself upon earth.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm10
In Domino Confido

The just man's confidence in God in the midst of persecutions.

1 Unto the end. A psalm for David. 2 IN the Lord I put my trust: how then do you say to my soul: Get thee away from hence to the mountain like a sparrow? 3 For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow; they have prepared their arrows in the quiver; to shoot in the dark the upright of heart. 4 For they have destroyed the things which thou hast made: but what has the just man done? 5 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes look on the poor man: his eyelids examine the sons of men. 6 The Lord trieth the just and the wicked: but he that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul. 7 He shall rain snares upon sinners: fire and brimstone and storms of winds shall be the portion of their cup. 8 For the Lord is just, and hath loved justice: his countenance hath beheld righteousness.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

LAUDS:

Psalm 92
Dominus Regnavit

The glory and stability of the kingdom; that is, of the Church of Christ.

1 Praise in the way of a canticle, for David himself, on the day before the sabbath, when the earth was founded. THE Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself. For he hath established the world which shall not be moved. 2 Thy throne is prepared from of old: thou art from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord: the floods have lifted up their voice. The floods have lifted up their waves, 4 with the noise of many waters. Wonderful are the surges of the sea: wonderful is the Lord on high. 5 Thy testimonies are become exceedingly credible: holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, unto length of days.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 99
Jubilate Deo

All are invited to rejoice in God, the Creator of all.

1 A psalm of praise. 2 SING joyfully to God, all the earth: serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: he made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Go ye into his gates with praise, into his courts with hymns: and give glory to him. Praise ye his name: 5 for the Lord is sweet, his mercy endureth for ever, and his truth to generation and generation.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 62
Deus Deus Meus Ad Te

The prophet aspireth after God.

1 A psalm of David when he was in the desert of Edom. 2 O GOD, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways! 3 In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory. 4 For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise. 5 Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands. 6 Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. 7 If I have remembered thee upon my bed, I will meditate on thee in the morning: 8 because thou hast been my helper. And I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings: 9 my soul hath stuck close to thee: thy right hand hath received me. 10 But they have sought my soul in vain, they shall go into the lower parts of the earth: 11 They shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes. 12 But the king shall rejoice in God, all they shall be praised that swear by him: because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Canticle of the Three Young Men: Dan 3:57-88

57 All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 58 O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 59 O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 60 O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever. 61 O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 62 O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 63 O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 64 O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 65 O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 66 O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 67 O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 68 O ye dews and hoar frosts, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 69 O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 70 O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 71 O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 72 O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 73 O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 74 O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever. 75 O ye mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 76 O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 77 O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 78 O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 79 O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 80 O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 81 O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 82 O ye sons of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 83 O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above all for ever. 84 O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 85 O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 86 O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 87 O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 88 O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. For he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us out of the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the burning flame, and saved us out of the midst of the fire.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 148
Laudate Dominum de Caelis

All creatures are invited to praise their Creator.

1 Alleluia. PRAISE ye the Lord from the heavens: praise ye him in the high places. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, O sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars and light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens: and let all the waters that are above the heavens 5 praise the name of the Lord. For he spoke, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath established them for ever, and for ages of ages: he hath made a decree, and it shall not pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all ye deeps: 8 Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds which fulfil his word: 9 Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars: 10 Beasts and all cattle: serpents and feathered fowls: 11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth: 12 Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord: 13 for his name alone is exalted. 14 The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he hath exalted the horn of his people. A hymn to all his saints: to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

PRIME:

Psalm 117
Confitemini Domino

The psalmist praiseth God for his delivery from evils; putteth his whole trust in him; and foretelleth the coming of Christ.

1 Alleluia. GIVE praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let Israel now say, that he is good: that his mercy endureth for ever. 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 4 Let them that fear the Lord now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 5 In my trouble I called upon the Lord: and the Lord heard me, and enlarged me. 6 The Lord is my helper: I will not fear what man can do unto me. 7 The Lord is my helper: and I will look over my enemies. 8 It is good to confide in the Lord, rather than to have confidence in man. 9 It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in princes. 10 All nations compassed me about; and in the name of the Lord I have been revenged on them. 11 Surrounding me they compassed me about: and in the name of the Lord I have been revenged on them. 12 They surrounded me like bees, and they burned like fire among thorns: and in the name of the Lord I was revenged on them 13 Being pushed I was overturned that I might fall: but the Lord supported me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my praise: and he is become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and of salvation is in the tabernacles of the just. 16 The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me: the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength. 17 I shall not die, but live: and shall declare the works of the Lord. 18 The Lord chastising hath chastised me: but he hath not delivered me over to death. 19 Open ye to me the gates of justice: I will go into them, and give praise to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord, the just shall enter into it. 21 I will give glory to thee because thou hast heard me: and art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner. 23 This is the Lord's doing: and it is wonderful in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein. 25 O Lord, save me: O Lord, give good success. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and he hath shone upon us. Appoint a solemn day, with shady boughs, even to the horn of the alter. 28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. I will praise thee, because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 29 O praise ye the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 1-16
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

1 Alleluia. ALEPH. BLESSED are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they who search his testimonies: that seek him with their whole heart. 3 For they that work iniquity, have not walked in his ways. 4 Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently. 5 O! that my ways may be directed to keep thy justifications. 6 Then shall I not be confounded, when I shall look into all thy commandments. 7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned the judgments of thy justice. 8 I will keep thy justifications: O! do not thou utterly forsake me. BETH. 9 By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words. 10 With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments. 11 Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee. 12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications. 13 With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth. 14 I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on thy commandments: and I will consider thy ways. 16 I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words. GIMEL.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 17-32
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

17 Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words. 18 Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law. 19 I am a sojourner on the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. 20 My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times. 21 Thou hast rebuked the proud: they are cursed who decline from thy commandments. 22 Remove from me reproach and contempt: because I have sought after thy testimonies. 23 For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications. 24 For thy testimonies are my meditation: and thy justifications my counsel. DALETH. 25 My soul hath cleaved to the pavement: quicken thou me according to thy word. 26 I have declared my ways, and thou hast heard me: teach me thy justifications. 27 Make me to understand the way of thy justifications: and I shall be exercised in thy wondrous works. 28 My soul hath slumbered through heaviness: strengthen thou me in thy words. 29 Remove from me the way of iniquity: and out of thy law have mercy on me. 30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments I have not forgotten. 31 I have stuck to thy testimonies, O Lord: put me not to shame. 32 I have run the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart. HE
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

TERCE:

Psalm 118: 33-48
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

33 Set before me for a law the way of thy justifications, O Lord: and I will always seek after it. 34 Give me understanding, and I will search thy law; and I will keep it with my whole heart. 35 Lead me into the path of thy commandments; for this same I have desired. 36 Incline my heart into thy testimonies and not to covetousness. 37 Turn away my eyes that they may not behold vanity: quicken me in thy way. 38 Establish thy word to thy servant, in thy fear. 39 Turn away my reproach, which I have apprehended: for thy judgments are delightful. 40 Behold I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy justice. VAU. 41 Let thy mercy also come upon me, O Lord: thy salvation according to thy word. 42 So shall I answer them that reproach me in any thing; that I have trusted in thy words. 43 And take not thou the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in thy words have I hoped exceedingly. 44 So shall I always keep thy law, for ever and ever. 45 And I walked at large: because I have sought after thy commandments. 46 And I spoke of thy testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed. 47 I meditated also on thy commandments, which I loved. 48 And I lifted up my hands to thy commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in thy justifications. ZAIN.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 49-64
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

49 Be thou mindful of thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast given me hope. 50 This hath comforted me in my humiliation: because thy word hath enlivened me. 51 The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from thy law. 52 I remembered, O Lord, thy judgments of old: and I was comforted. 53 A fainting hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law. 54 Thy justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage. 55 In the night I have remembered thy name, O Lord: and have kept thy law. 56 This happened to me: because I sought after thy justifications. HETH. 57 O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep the law. 58 I entreated thy face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to thy word. 59 I have thought on my ways: and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. 60 I am ready, and am not troubled: that I may keep thy commandments. 61 The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. 62 I rose at midnight to give praise to thee; for the judgments of thy justification. 63 I am a partaker with all them that fear thee, and that keep thy commandments. 64 The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy justifications. TETH.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 65-80
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

65 Thou hast done well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word. 66 Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments. 67 Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word. 68 Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications. 69 The iniquity of the proud hath been multiplied over me: but I will seek thy commandments with my whole heart. 70 Their heart is curdled like milk: but I have meditated on thy law. 71 It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications. 72 The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver. JOD. 73 Thy hands have made me and formed me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments. 74 They that fear thee shall see me, and shall be glad: because I have greatly hoped in thy words. 75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me. 76 O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation. 78 Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me: but I will be employed in thy commandments. 79 Let them that fear thee turn to me: and they that know thy testimonies. 80 Let my heart be undefiled in thy justifications, that I may not be confounded. CAPH.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

SEXT:

Psalm 118: 81-96
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

81 My soul hath fainted after thy salvation: and in thy word I have very much hoped. 82 My eyes have failed for thy word, saying: When wilt thou comfort me? 83 For I am become like a bottle in the frost: I have not forgotten thy justifications. 84 How many are the days of thy servant: when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? 85 The wicked have told me fables: but not as thy law. 86 All thy statutes are truth: they have persecuted me unjustly, do thou help me. 87 They had almost made an end of me upon earth: but I have not forsaken thy commandments. 88 Quicken thou me according to thy mercy: and I shall keep the testimonies of thy mouth. LAMED. 89 For ever, O Lord, thy word standeth firm in heaven. 90 Thy truth unto all generations: thou hast founded the earth, and it continueth. 91 By thy ordinance the day goeth on: for all things serve thee. 92 Unless thy law had been my meditation, I had then perhaps perished in my abjection. 93 Thy justifications I will never forget: for by them thou hast given me life. 94 I am thine, save thou me: for I have sought thy justifications. 95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I have understood thy testimonies. 96 I have seen an end to all persecution: thy commandment is exceeding broad. MEM.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 97-112
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

97 O how have I loved thy law, O Lord! it is my meditation all the day. 98 Through thy commandment, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies: for it is ever with me. 99 I have understood more than all my teachers: because thy testimonies are my meditation. 100 I have had understanding above ancients: because I have sought thy commandments. 101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way: that I may keep thy words. 102 I have not declined from thy judgments, because thou hast set me a law. 103 How sweet are thy words to my palate! more than honey to my mouth. 104 By thy commandments I have had understanding: therefore have I hated every way of iniquity. NUN. 105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths. 106 I have sworn and am determined to keep the judgments of thy justice. 107 I have been humbled, O Lord, exceedingly: quicken thou me according to thy word. 108 The free offerings of my mouth make acceptable, O Lord: and teach me thy judgments. 109 My soul is continually in my hands: and I have not forgotten thy law. 110 Sinners have laid a snare for me: but I have not erred from thy precepts. 111 I have purchased thy testimonies for an inheritance for ever: because they are the joy of my heart. 112 I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for ever, for the reward. SAMECH.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 113-128
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

113 I have hated the unjust: and have loved thy law. 114 Thou art my helper and my protector: and in thy word I have greatly hoped. 115 Depart from me, ye malignant: and I will search the commandments of my God. 116 Uphold me according to thy word, and I shall live: and let me not be confounded in my expectation. 117 Help me, and I shall be saved: and I will meditate always on thy justifications. 118 Thou hast despised all them that fall off from thy judgments; for their thought is unjust. 119 I have accounted all the sinners of the earth prevaricators: therefore have I loved thy testimonies. 120 Pierce thou my flesh with thy fear: for I am afraid of thy judgments. AIN. 121 I have done judgment and justice: give me not up to them that slander me. 122 Uphold thy servant unto good: let not the proud calumniate me. 123 My eyes have fainted after thy salvation: and for the word of thy justice. 124 Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy: and teach me thy justifications. 125 I am thy servant: give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies. 126 It is time, O Lord, to do: they have dissipated thy law. 127 Therefore have I loved thy commandments above gold and the topaz. 128 Therefore was I directed to all thy commandments: I have hated all wicked ways. PHE.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

NONE:

Psalm 118: 129-144
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore my soul hath sought them. 130 The declaration of thy words giveth light: and giveth understanding to little ones. 131 I opened my mouth and panted: because I longed for thy commandments. 132 Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of them that love thy name. 133 Direct my steps according to thy word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me. 134 Redeem me from the calumnies of men: that I may keep thy commandments. 135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: and teach me thy justifications. 136 My eyes have sent forth springs of water: because they have not kept thy law. SADE. 137 Thou art just, O Lord: and thy judgment is right. 138 Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies: and thy truth exceedingly. 139 My zeal hath made me pine away: because my enemies forgot thy words. 140 Thy word is exceedingly refined: and thy servant hath loved it. 141 I am very young and despised; but I forget not thy justifications. 142 Thy justice is justice for ever: and thy law is the truth. 143 Trouble and anguish have found me: thy commandments are my meditation. 144 Thy testimonies are justice for ever: give me understanding, and I shall live. COPH.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 145-160
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

145 I cried with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord: I will seek thy justifications. 146 I cried unto thee, save me: that I may keep thy commandments. 147 I prevented the dawning of the day, and cried: because in thy words I very much hoped. 148 My eyes to thee have prevented the morning: that I might meditate on thy words. 149 Hear thou my voice, O Lord, according to thy mercy: and quicken me according to thy judgment. 150 They that persecute me have drawn nigh to iniquity; but they are gone far off from thy law. 151 Thou art near, O Lord: and all thy ways are truth. 152 I have known from the beginning concerning thy testimonies: that thou hast founded them for ever. RES. 153 See my humiliation and deliver me: for I have not forgotten thy law. 154 Judge my judgment and redeem me: quicken thou me for thy word's sake. 155 Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought thy justifications. 156 Many, O Lord, are thy mercies: quicken me according to thy judgment. 157 Many are they that persecute me, and afflict me; but I have not declined from thy testimonies. 158 I beheld the transgressors, and I pined away; because they kept not thy word. 159 Behold I have loved thy commandments, O Lord; quicken me thou in thy mercy. 160 The beginning of thy words is truth: all the judgments of thy justice are for ever. SIN.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 118: 161-176
Beati Imaculati

Of the excellence of virtue, consisting in the love and observance of the commandments of God.

161 Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart hath been in awe of thy words. 162 I will rejoice at thy words, as one that hath found great spoil. 163 I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved thy law. 164 Seven times a day I have given praise to thee, for the judgments of thy justice. 165 Much peace have they that love thy law, and to them there is no stumbling block. 166 I looked to thy salvation, O Lord: and I loved thy commandments. 167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies: and hath loved them exceedingly. 168 I have kept thy commandments and thy testimonies: because all my ways are in thy sight. TAU. 169 Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in thy sight: give me understanding according to thy word. 170 Let my request come in before thee; deliver thou me according to thy word. 171 My lips shall utter a hymn, when thou shalt teach me thy justifications. 172 My tongue shall pronounce thy word: because all thy commandments are justice. 173 Let thy hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen thy precepts. 174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my meditation. 175 My soul shall live and shall praise thee: and thy judgments shall help me. 176 I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, because I have not forgotten thy commandments.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

VESPERS:

Psalm 109
Dixit Dominus

Christ's exultation, and everlasting priesthood.

1 A psalm for David. THE Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy enemies thy footstool. 2 The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies. 3 With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot thee. 4 The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech. 5 The Lord at thy right hand hath broken kings in the day of his wrath. 6 He shall judge among nations, he shall fill ruins: he shall crush the heads in the land of many. 7 He shall drink of the torrent in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 110
Confitebor Tibi Domine

God is to be praised for his graces, and benefits to his Church.

1 Alleluia. I WILL praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; in the council of the just: and in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the Lord: sought out according to all his wills 3 His work is praise and magnificence: and his justice continueth for ever and ever. 4 He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord: 5 he hath given food to them that fear him. He will be mindful for ever of his covenant: 6 he will shew forth to his people the power of his works. 7 That he may give them the inheritance of the Gentiles: the works of his hands are truth and judgment. 8 All his commandments are faithful: confirmed for ever and ever, made in truth and equity. 9 He hath sent redemption to his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and terrible is his name: 10 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding to all that do it: his praise continueth for ever and ever.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 111
Beatus Vir

The good man is happy.

1 Alleluia, of the returning of Aggeus and Zacharias. BLESSED is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. 3 Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever. 4 To the righteous a light is risen up in darkness: he is merciful, and compassionate and just. 5 Acceptable is the man that showeth mercy and lendeth: he shall order his words with judgment: 6 because he shall not be moved for ever. 7 The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not fear the evil hearing. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord: 8 his heart is strengthened, he shall not be moved until he look over his enemies. 9 He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever and ever: his horn shall be exalted in glory. 10 The wicked shall see, and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 112
Laudate Pueri

God is to be praised, for his regard to the poor and humble.

1 Alleluia PRAISE the Lord, ye children: praise ye the name of the Lord. 2 Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever. 3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise. 4 The Lord is high above all nations; and his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is as the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high: 6 and looketh down on the low things in heaven and in earth? 7 Raising up the needy from the earth, and lifting up the poor out of the dunghill: 8 That he may place him with princes, with the princes of his people. 9 Who maketh a barren woman to dwell in a house, the joyful mother of children.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 113
In Exitu Israel

God hath shewn his power in delivering his people: idols are vain. (The Hebrews divide this into two psalms.)

1 Alleluia. WHEN Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a barbarous people: 2 Judea made his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. 3 The sea saw and fled: Jordan was turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like the lambs of the flock. 5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou didst flee: and thou, O Jordan, that thou wast turned back? 6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams, and ye hills, like lambs of the flock? 7 At the presence of the Lord the earth was moved, at the presence of the God of Jacob: 8 Who turned the rock into pools of water, and the stony hill into fountains of waters. 9 Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory. 10 For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake: lest the gentiles should say: Where is their God? 11 But our God is in heaven: he hath done all things whatsoever he would. 12 The idols of the gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. 13 They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not. 14 They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not. 15 They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat. 16 Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them. 17 The house of Israel hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector. 18 The house of Aaron hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector. 19 They that fear the Lord hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector. 20 The Lord hath been mindful of us, and hath blessed us. He hath blessed the house of Israel: he hath blessed the house of Aaron. 21 He hath blessed all that fear the Lord, both little and great. 22 May the Lord add blessings upon you: upon you, and upon your children. 23 Blessed be you of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 24 The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men. 25 The dead shall not praise thee, O Lord: nor any of them that go down to hell. 26 But we that live bless the Lord: from this time now and for ever.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

COMPLINE:

Psalm 4
Cum Invocarem

The prophet teacheth us to flee to God in tribulation, with confidence in him.

1 Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David. 2 WHEN I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer. 3 O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying? 4 Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him. 5 Be ye angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds. 6 Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things? 7 The light of thy countenance O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart. 8 By the fruit of their corn, their wine and oil, they are multiplied. 9 In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest: 10 For thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 90
Qui Habitat

The just is secure under the protection of God.

1 The praise of a canticle for David. HE that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob. 2 He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust. 3 For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word. 4 He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust. 5 His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night. 6 Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge. 10 There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling. 11 For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon. 14 Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name. 15 He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him. 16 I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Psalm 133
Ecce Nunc Benedicite

An exhortation to praise God continually.

1 A gradual canticle. BEHOLD now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. 2 In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, and bless ye the Lord. 3 May the Lord out of Sion bless thee, he that made heaven and earth. -Glory be to the Father...
Haydock’s Bible Commentary

 

Divine Office "Liturgy of the Hours"

The Psalms: The Perfect Prayer Book for Everyone

"Ego sum Alpha et Omega, princípium
et finis, dicit Dóminus Deus : qui est,
et qui erat, et qui ventúrus est, omnípotens".

The Daily Psalms [Sun-Sat] - Douay Rheims Version - (As in the Old Breviary) w. Haydock's Commentary The Holy Ghost – A.K.A. “The Spirit” From All Eternity

 

The Psalms

The Perfect Prayer Book for Everyone

"The psalms are prayer, in which God Himself teaches us how to pray; for they were written under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Herein we have the answer to the question: "What prayers shall I say?" Why the prayers of Holy Scripture itself! "There is no need to scrape together endless man-made prayers when Sacred Scripture frames the very thoughts of God." The psalms are the vital presentation of God's inspirations and man's aspirations; they are the ideal manifestations of man's hunger and thirst after God and of God's loving response to man. Of great age, they are ever new and appropriate. They are as satisfying and stimulating to us of the twentieth century as they were to men before the birth of Christ and down through the Apostolic and Middle Ages".

Rev. Joseph B. Frey; July 16, 1947.

From My Daily Psalm Book, Arranged by Father Joseph Frey, Confraternity of the Precious Blood (1947) pp.vi-ix.

..

You Can Find the Remaining Six Days of "The Daily Psalms" Here

[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.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 103 (104)

Hymn to God the Creator

My Lord God, you are robed in majesty and splendour, wrapped in light as in a cloak.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

  Lord, my God, how great you are!

You are robed in majesty and splendour;

  you are wrapped in light as in a cloak.

You stretch out the sky like an awning,

  you build your palace upon the waters.

You make the clouds your chariot,

  you walk upon the wings of the wind.

You make the breezes your messengers,

  you make burning fire your minister.

You set the earth upon its foundation:

  from age to age it will stand firm.

Deep oceans covered it like a garment,

  and the waters stood high above the mountains;

but you rebuked them and they fled;

  at the sound of your thunder they fled in terror.

They rise to the mountains or sink to the valleys,

  to the places you have decreed for them.

You have given them a boundary they must not cross;

  they will never come back to cover the earth.

You make springs arise to feed the streams,

  that flow in the midst of the mountains.

All the beasts of the field will drink from them

  and the wild asses will quench their thirst.

Above them will nest the birds of the sky,

  from among the branches their voices will sound.

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.

My Lord God, you are robed in majesty and splendour, wrapped in light as in a cloak.

---

Psalm 103 (104)

The Lord brought forth bread from the land, and wine to make man’s heart strong.

From your palace you water the mountains,

  and thus you give plenty to the earth.

You bring forth grass for the cattle,

  and plants for the service of man.

You bring forth bread from the land,

  and wine to make man’s heart rejoice.

Oil, to make the face shine;

  and bread to make man’s heart strong.

The trees of the Lord have all that they need,

  and the cedars of Lebanon, that he planted.

Small birds will nest there,

  and storks at the tops of the trees.

For wild goats there are the high mountains;

  the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

He made the moon so that time could be measured;

  the sun knows the hour of its setting.

You send shadows, and night falls:

  then all the beasts of the woods come out,

lion cubs roaring for their prey,

  asking God for their food.

When the sun rises they come back together

  to lie in their lairs;

man goes out to his labour,

  and works until evening.

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.

The Lord brought forth bread from the land, and wine to make man’s heart strong.

---

Psalm 103 (104)

God saw all that he had made, and indeed it was very good.

How many are your works, O Lord!

  You have made all things in your wisdom,

  and the earth is full of your creatures.

The sea is broad and immense:

  sea-creatures swim there, both small and large,

  too many to count.

Ships sail across it;

  Leviathan lives there, the monster;

  you made him to play with.

All of them look to you

  to give them their food when they need it.

You give it to them, and they gather;

  you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

But turn away, and they are dismayed;

  take away their breath, and they die,

  once more they will turn into dust.

You will send forth your breath, they will come to life;

  you will renew the face of the earth.

Glory be to the Lord, for ever;

  let the Lord rejoice in his works.

He turns his gaze to the earth, and it trembles;

  he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

  as long as I exist, I will sing songs to God.

May my praises be pleasing to him;

  truly I will delight in the Lord.

Let sinners perish from the earth,

  let the wicked vanish from existence.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

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.

God saw all that he had made, and indeed it was very good.

---

The Father’s voice was heard from the cloud:

– ‘This is my beloved Son: listen to him.’

---

Reading

Exodus 13:17-14:9 ©

When Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not let them take the road to the land of the Philistines, although that was the nearest way. God thought that the prospect of fighting would make the people lose heart and turn back to Egypt. Instead, God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness to the Sea of Reeds. The sons of Israel went out from Egypt fully armed. Moses took with him the bones of Joseph who had put the sons of Israel on solemn oath. ‘It is sure that God will visit you,’ he had said ‘and when that day comes you must take my bones from here with you.’   From Succoth they moved on, and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.   The Lord went before them, by day in the form of a pillar of cloud to show them the way, and by night in the form of a pillar of fire to give them light: thus they could continue their march by day and by night. The pillar of cloud never failed to go before the people during the day, nor the pillar of fire during the night.   The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Tell the sons of Israel to turn back and pitch camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, facing Baal-zephon. You are to pitch your camp opposite this place, beside the sea. Pharaoh will think, “Look how these sons of Israel wander to and fro in the countryside; the wilderness has closed in on them.” Then I shall make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn and he will set out in pursuit of them. But I shall win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will learn that I am the Lord.’ And the Israelites did this.   When Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was told that the people had made their escape, he and his courtiers changed their minds about the people. ‘What have we done,’ they said ‘allowing Israel to leave our service?’ So Pharaoh had his chariot harnessed and gathered his troops about him, taking six hundred of the best chariots and all the other chariots in Egypt, each manned by a picked team. The Lord made Pharaoh, king of Egypt, stubborn, and he gave chase to the sons of Israel as they made their triumphant escape. So the Egyptians gave chase and came up with them where they lay encamped beside the sea – all the horses, the chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, his army – near Pi-hahiroth, facing Baal-zephon.

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Reading	From a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope
The Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ
The Lord reveals his glory in the presence of chosen witnesses. His body is like that of the rest of mankind, but he makes it shine with such splendour that his face becomes like the sun in glory, and his garments as white as snow.   The great reason for this transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of his disciples, and to prevent the humiliation of his voluntary suffering from disturbing the faith of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed.   With no less forethought he was also providing a firm foundation for the hope of holy Church. The whole body of Christ was to understand the kind of transformation that it would receive as his gift. the members of that body were to look forward to a share in that glory which first blazed out in Christ their head.   The Lord had himself spoken of this when he foretold the splendour of his coming: Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Saint Paul the apostle bore witness to this same truth when he said: I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not to be compared to the future glory that is to be revealed in us. In another place he says: You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.   This marvel of the transfiguration contains another lesson for the apostles, to strengthen them and lead them into the fullness of knowledge. Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, appeared with the Lord in conversation with him. This was in order to fulfil exactly, through the presence of these five men, the text which says: Before two or three witnesses every word is ratified. What word could be more firmly established, more securely based, than the word which is proclaimed by the trumpets of both old and new testaments, sounding in harmony, and by the utterances of ancient prophecy and the teaching of the Gospel, in full agreement with each other?   The writings of the two testaments support each other. The radiance of the transfiguration reveals clearly and unmistakably the one who had been promised by signs foretelling him under the veils of mystery. As Saint John says: The law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. In him the promise made through the shadows of prophecy stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law. He is the one who teaches the truth of the prophecy through his presence, and makes obedience to the commandments possible through grace.   In the preaching of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No one should be ashamed of the cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.   No one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice; no one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then we are steadfast in our faith in him and in our love for him, we win the victory that he has won, we receive what he has promised.   When it comes to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears: This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him.

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Concluding Prayer

O God, you told us to listen to your beloved Son.

  Nourish us by planting your word within us;

  give us spiritual clearsightedness

  to see and enjoy the vision of your glory.

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]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» March 08, 2009
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Collect: God our Father, help us to hear your Son. Enlighten us with your word, that we may find a way to your glory. 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.

« March 08, 2009 »

Second Sunday of Lent
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Between Moses and Elias Jesus shows forth His divine glory, thus foreshadowing His resurrection. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. Today's Mass places before us the transfigured Lord and the model toward Whom we must tend, and our own transfiguration as the goal we must attain. We attain this goal by a profound realization of our sinfulness and need of a Redeemer; by preserving purity of body and soul; by combatting our passions and carnal instincts and observing the commandments and most importantly by participating in the Mass. — Excerpted from Cathedral Daily Missal

Stational Church

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Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the book of Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18. Abraham had promptly obeyed the true God and come to Canaan. Now God tests him by asking him to offer his son, Isaac, in sacrifice. Abraham obeyed promptly once more, but God intervened as Abraham got ready to slay his son. He renewed His promise of a great race, through which the whole world would receive the blessing of God — divine adoption throught the Incarnation.

The second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:31-34. St. Paul is emphasizing the indwelling of the Spirit in Christians and their freedom from sin, eternal death and the Jewish law. The liberating act of Christ had made them children of God, destined for glory.

The Gospel is from St. Mark 9:2-10. This vision of Christ glorified, given to these Apostles on Mount Thabor (the traditional site of Transfiguration) was surely a very special privilege, and it was one they did not forget. "We saw his glory," St. John says in his gospel, written over sixty years later. In his epistles John also refers to this privilege (1 Jn. 1:1-4). St. Peter, writing from Rome to the churches in Asia Minor about thirty years later, mentions this outstanding experience: "For we were not following fictitious tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when from out the majestic glory a voice came down to him saying: `this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.' And this voice we ourselves heard borne from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain" (2 Pt. 1:16-18).

Yes, the three Apostles were privileged and we too are sharers in their privilege. The Transfiguration of Christ is but one among many of the incontrovertible proofs of the divine Sonship of Christ which we have in the gospel narratives and in the twenty centuries-long history of the Church which he founded. Were he not divine, that Church would long since have crumbled and fallen under the many vicious assaults from outside which it has undergone, as well as from the many human weaknesses which have beset it from within. But Christ is God and the Church has his divine protection and assistance. Therefore, it will go on to the end of time to continue his work of elevating and redeeming mankind.

This enlightening glimpse of Christ's future glory—a glory in which they would share—was given to these Apostles to strengthen and encourage them in the terrible test of their faith which the passion and death of Jesus would be for them very soon. It is for a similar reason that the Church orders this story of the Transfiguration to be read to us during this season of Lent. We are or should be mortifying ourselves during this season. This mortification can earn for us a glorious and unending future life. To encourage us to continue it, we are reminded that the One we are following, the One whose voice we listen to, is none other than the Son of God. There are the voices of many false prophets shouting around us, telling us to enjoy ourselves in this life, to "eat, sleep, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die," but there is the rub—tomorrow we shall die, but where shall we go then?

Let us thank our divine Lord today, for giving this consoling and encouraging vision of his glory to his Apostles and through them to us. It was for them, and it is for us, a guarantee and a foretaste of the joys and the glory that will be ours for eternity, if we but persevere in our struggles against the world, the flesh and the devil. This struggle is not easy for our weak nature, but our loving Savior is ever beside us to "raise us up and tell us not to fear" if we but rely on him. When we are tempted to give way to our human weaknesses, or to give way under the weight of the crosses that sometimes are about to crush us, let us think of Mount Thabor, and the glorified Jesus, who a few weeks later faced his own real passion and cross cheerfully for our sakes. This thought will help us to carry our crosses as the thought of the future glory which will be ours should make us thank God that we have been created and thank his beloved Son for setting us on the road to that future glory.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

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The Station at Rome is in the church of St. Mary in Dominica, on Monte Celio. Tradition tells us that in this basilica was the diaconicum of which St. Lawrence had charge, and from which he distributed to the poor the alms of the Church.

[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.

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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 117 (118)

A cry of rejoicing and triumph

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed. The Lord’s right hand has raised me up.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

  and his kindness is for ever.

Now let Israel say, he is good

  and his kindness is for ever.

Now let the house of Aaron say it too:

  that his kindness is for ever.

Now let all who fear the Lord say it too:

  that his kindness is for ever.

In my time of trial I called out to the Lord:

  he listened, and led me to freedom.

The Lord is with me,

  I will fear nothing that man can do.

The Lord, my help, is with me,

  and I shall look down upon my enemies.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,

  better than to trust in men.

It is good to seek shelter in the Lord,

  better than to trust in the leaders of men.

All the nations surrounded me,

  and in the Lord’s name I slew them.

They crowded in and besieged me,

  and in the Lord’s name I slew them.

They surrounded me like swarms of bees,

  they burned like a fire of dry thorns,

  and in the Lord’s name I slew them.

They chased and pursued me, to make me fall,

  and the Lord came to my help.

The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing:

  he has become my saviour.

A cry of joy and salvation

  in the dwellings of the righteous:

“The Lord’s right hand has triumphed!

  The Lord’s right hand has raised me up;

  the Lord’s right hand has triumphed.”

I shall not die, but live,

  and tell of the works of the Lord.

The Lord chastised me severely

  but did not let me die.

Open the gates of righteousness:

  I will go in, and thank the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;

  it is the upright who enter here.

I will thank you, for you listened to me,

  and became my saviour.

The stone that the builders rejected

  has become the corner-stone.

It was the Lord who did this –

  it is marvellous to behold.

This is the day that was made by the Lord:

  let us rejoice today, and be glad.

Lord, keep me safe;

  O Lord, let me prosper!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

  We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God, he shines upon us!

  Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches,

  up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, I will give thanks to you;

  my God, I will give you praise.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

  and his kindness is 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.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed. The Lord’s right hand has raised me up.

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Canticle	Daniel 3
Let every creature praise the Lord
Let us sing the hymn of the three youths as they walked in the fiery furnace. Let us bless the Lord.
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers,   praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory   praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory   praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths,   seated on the cherubim,   praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven   praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works,   praise and exalt him 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.
Let us sing the hymn of the three youths as they walked in the fiery furnace. Let us bless the Lord.

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Psalm 150

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord in his mighty firmament.

Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,

  praise him in his mighty firmament.

Praise him for his mighty deeds,

  praise him for all his greatness.

Praise him with trumpet-blasts,

  praise him with the harp and lyre,

praise him with timbrel and dance,

  praise him with strings and pipes,

praise him with cymbals resounding,

  praise him with cymbals of jubilation.

All that breathes, praise 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.

Praise the Lord in his mighty firmament.

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Short reading	Nehemiah 8:9,10 ©
This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.

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Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’
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.
Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’

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Prayers and Intercessions

?

God’s treasury of gifts is infinite. Through Jesus Christ, his ever-living Son who intercedes for us, let us give him glory and pray: – Kindle in us the fire of your love. God of compassion, may we be full of kind actions today:   may everyone experience our humanity. – Kindle in us the fire of your love. With the ark you saved Noah from the waters of the flood:   with the waters of baptism, save those who are soon to be baptized. – Kindle in us the fire of your love. May we be fed not by bread alone   but by every word that comes from your mouth. – Kindle in us the fire of your love. Make us make up every quarrel   and rejoice in your gifts of peace, concord and love. – Kindle in us the fire of your love.

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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 who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

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O God, you told us to listen to your beloved Son.

  Nourish us by planting your word within us;

  give us spiritual clearsightedness

  to see and enjoy the vision of your glory.

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.

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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 Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 9:2-10

Peter wore his heart on his sleeve. He loved Jesus and wanted to do everything for him.

His intentions were so good! Yet this fisherman had a knack for the impetuous. He was very good at acting before thinking!

Think, for example, of the time when Peter jumped out of a boat and onto a storm-tossed lake. Then, when he recalled that humans are not supposed to walk on water, he sank. At another time, just after Jesus predicted his death on the cross, Peter rebuked him. Or what about the time when Peter tried to keep Jesus from washing his feet? When Jesus corrected that impetuous thought, Peter immediately replied with another one: “Then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well” (John 13:9).

Today’s Gospel story fits right into this pattern. Peter was awestruck at the sight of Jesus being transfigured. Perhaps he was frightened also, as well as filled with joy. So how did he react? By offering to build a monument to the event. And God was quick to correct Peter—again: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7).

We all can be like Peter. Perhaps we are not as impetuous, but we all tend to focus on what we can do for Jesus, while God wants us first and foremost to listen to him.

Lent is a wonderful time for us to learn how to listen to Jesus. We need to pay more careful attention to what Jesus wants to say to us and less attention to what we can do for him. Our God is not cold and distant. He is generous and loving. He wants to share his life with us. But sometimes we’re just too busy serving him to receive from him!

When you are at Mass today, try your best to listen to Jesus. When you meditate on the Transfiguration, put yourself at the scene. Imagine how this miracle would impact your life and your thinking. You might just find the Holy Spirit filling you with more grace and drawing you closer to the Lord.

“Lord, teach me how to listen to your voice.”

Genesis 22:1-2,9-10,13,15-18; Psalm 116:10,15-19; Romans 8:31-34

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Thy Face, O Lord, Do I Seek

By

Father Mark

on March 8, 2009 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Second Sunday of Lent B

Mark 9:2-10
Romans 8:31-34
Psalm 115: 10.15-19. R. Ps 114:9
Genesis 22:1-2.9-13.15-18.

Cathedral of the Holy Family
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Eyes for the Face of Christ

Today is Transfiguration Sunday. The Church has left the wastelands of the Judean desert for the heights of Mount Thabor. The liturgy invites us to fix our eyes on the Face of the Transfigured Christ, shining more brightly than the sun. This is the whole reason for today's magnificent Entrance Antiphon: "True to my heart's promise, I have eyes only for Thy Face,Thy Face, O Lord, do I seek. Do not hide Thy Face from me." (Ps 26:8-9)

Conversion and Joy

Think about it. When you want to know what your friend holds in his heart, you study his face. Today the Church would have us look upon the Face of Jesus to our heart's content to discover there all the secrets of His Heart. What do I read on the Face of the Transfigured Christ? When I gaze upon His Face I read there Love's pressing invitation to conversion and to joy.

A Lamp Shining in Dark Place

When a parent is expecting a child to come home in the late hours of the night . . . or in the early hours of the morning, he leaves a light on in the window or on the front porch. That light is not merely functional; it says "This is your home. We are waiting for you. You are loved." The Eternal Father, too, has left a light burning for us: it is the radiance that shines from the Face of the Transfigured Christ. Thus, Saint Peter says: "You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 P 1:19).

Lead, Kindly Light

Orient your steps in the direction of that inextinguishable Light, and you will, even though it be night, find your way home to the Father's house. This was John Henry Cardinal Newman's experience:

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on.
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

That "kindly Light" is what Saint Paul calls: "the glory of God shining on the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). Do you remember when Thomas said to Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" (Jn 14:5) Jesus said to Him, "I am the way . . . no one comes to the Father, but by me." (Jn 14:7).

Turning and Returning

Love invites us to conversion. Conversion is at once a turning and a returning. Conversion is a turning toward the radiant Face of the Son, and then a returning through Him, in the Holy Spirit, to the Father's house or, rather, to the Father's bosom, to the Father's heart of hearts. Only there will be truly at home, for there Love created us to be, to dwell, to live eternally. "Thou hast made us for Thyself, O God," said one wanderer in the night -- Saint Augustine -- "and our hearts are restless until they come to rest in Thee."

Ascension

All of this being said, Lent cannot be described, nor it can it be experienced, in terms of conversion alone. Lent is also about ascension. "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem" (Mt 20:18), says the Lord; and again, "I am leaving the world and going to the Father" (Jn 16:28). Only a shortsighted vision of Lent fails to see it in terms of ascension to the Father, and therefore, in terms of joy. "I am leaving the world," says Jesus, "and going to the Father" (Jn 16:28).

Swept Up Into the Love of Things Invisible

It is impossible to focus on the Face of Jesus without being caught up in His ascension to the Father. One of the Prefaces of Christmas sings: "As we come to know God made visible in the Word made flesh, we are swept up as well into the love of things invisible"(Christmas Preface I). Conversion to Christ and ascension into the joy of the Father -- both experienced by the grace of the Holy Spirit -- are what Lent is all about.

Abraham

The First Reading traces for us the movement of ascension. God called to Abraham, and Abraham, lending the ear of his heart to the Word, replied: "Here am I" (Gen 22:1). This is the movement of conversion, but it is not enough. Conversion without ascension is incomplete. God's most passionate desire is that we should be with Him even as the Son is with the Father. Jesus prayed for this on the night before He suffered: "Father, I desire that they also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory" (Jn 17:24).

The Wood of the Cross

And so Abraham, having heeded the voice of God, takes his only son with him, sets out and goes to the land of Moriah, to offer his son in sacrifice. "On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off" (Gen 22:4). Leaving behind his attendants, having laid the wood of sacrifice upon his son Isaac -- a figure of Jesus bearing the wood of the cross -- and carrying with him the fire of the holocaust, Abraham ascends the mountain. Look closely at the text. What do you see there? The father, the son, the fire . . . and the wood. In the father, the son and the fire, we contemplate an obscure and mysterious foreshadowing of the saving Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Fire of the Holy Spirit. In the wood, we already see the mystery of the Cross.

The Father's Love

The lonely high place, destined to be the scene of a bloody immolation, becomes instead, at the last moment, the scene of an epiphany of God's saving love, "a love stronger than death" (Ct 8:6). God says to Abraham, "You have not withheld your son, your only son from Me" (Gen 22: 12). If Abraham, a man, is capable of such selfless love, what then are we to say of Abraham's God? Abraham on Mount Moriah is an icon -- a human portrayal -- of the Father's selfless love, the very love revealed in the brightness of Mount Thabor and then in the darkness of that other lonely height called Golgotha.

To the Summit of Sacrificial Love

In Abraham the Father bares His heart to us. God withholds nothing, and in giving us His only Son, He gives us everything. "Since God did not spare His own Son, but handed Him over for us all, how will He not give us everything else along with Him?" (Rom 8:31). The grace of conversion is given us, as it was given Abraham, in view of an ascension to the very summit of sacrificial love, and to a joy that no one will take from us.

Follow Me

We find the same movement in the Gospel. In the verses immediately preceding today's passage, Jesus called His disciples to conversion: "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Mk 8:34): conversion. "And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves" (Mk 9:2): ascension.

Ascension into Joy

The gaze of Peter, James and John is riveted on the Face of the praying Jesus shining like the sun (Mt 17:2). Contemplating the Face of Jesus transfigured, the apostles are drawn upward after Him toward the Father. Seeing Jesus pray, Peter, James and John enter into that prayer. The bright cloud envelops them too. The summit of all prayer is to be lost in the prayer of Christ to the Father, to be overshadowed by the cloud of the Spirit. Every little step of conversion we make -- not only in prayer, but also in every action of sacrificial love (fasting, almsgiving, patience, pardon) -- is the beginning of an ascension into joy.

To the Altar

The very pattern of the Mass is one of conversion and ascension. In the first part of the Mass we listen to the voice of Christ and gaze upon His Face shining in the Scriptures. The purpose of the homily is to make us ready to ascend to the altar. There, in the second part of the Mass, at the altar, we will look upon Our Lord's Eucharistic Face.

There is a reason why our Catholic altars are traditionally elevated by several steps. This is not an architectural convention; it is a theological statement. Every sacred mountain in history points to the altar where Our Lord's sacrifice is made present. In every Mass the altar is Abraham's Mount Moriah; the altar is Moses' Mount Sinai; the altar is Elijah's Mount Carmel. The altar is Mount Thabor; the altar is Golgotha; and the altar is the mountain of Jesus' Ascension.

The Joy for Which Love Created You

The altar is all of this because it is the place where for us, here and now, the Father, and the Son, and the Fire, and the Wood of the Cross will be made present. Turn toward God and be converted; ascend toward God, and ascending, taste the joy for which Love created you.

[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.

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A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 109 (110)

The Messiah, king and priest

The Lord will send you a sceptre of power, in the splendour of your saints.

The Lord has said to my lord:

  “Sit at my right hand

  while I make your enemies your footstool.”

From Zion the Lord will give you a sceptre,

  and you will rule in the midst of your foes.

Royal power is yours in the day of your strength,

  among the sacred splendours.

  Before the dawn, I begot you from the womb.

The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:

  “You are a priest for ever,

  a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech.”

The Lord is at your right hand,

  and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings.

He will drink from the stream as he goes –

  he will hold his head high.

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.

The Lord will send you a sceptre of power, in the splendour of your saints.

---

Psalm 113B (115)

Praise of the true God

The God we worship is one God: he made heaven and earth.

Not to us, Lord, not to us,

  but to your own name give the glory,

  because of your kindness and faithfulness.

Why should the nations say:

  “Where is their God?”

Our God is in the heavens,

  and what he wills, he does.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

  the work of human hands.

They have mouths but do not speak,

  they have eyes but do not see.

They have ears but do not hear,

  they have nostrils but do not smell.

They have hands but they do not feel,

  they have feet but they do not walk;

  no voice comes from their throats.

Their makers will be like them,

  and all who put their trust in them.

The house of Israel trusts in the Lord;

  he is their help and their shield.

The house of Aaron trusts in the Lord;

  he is their help and their shield.

All who fear the Lord trust in the Lord;

  he is their help and their shield.

The Lord has remembered us and he will bless us.

He will bless the house of Israel,

  he will bless the house of Aaron –

  he will bless all who fear the Lord.

May the Lord add to your numbers

  and to those of your children.

May the Lord bless you,

  the Lord who made heaven and earth.

The heavens are the Lord’s,

  but the earth he has given to men.

It is not the dead who will praise you, O Lord,

  nor those who go down into the silence;

but we, who live, will bless the Lord,

  now and 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.

The God we worship is one God: he made heaven and earth.

---

Canticle	1 Peter 2
Christ's passion, freely chosen
God did not spare his Son but handed him over for us all.
Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, to follow in his path. He committed no sin, in his speech there was no deceit; when they cursed him, he did not curse them; when he suffered, he did not threaten retribution, but committed them to the one just judge. He endured our sins in the sufferings of his body on the tree, so that we would die to our sins and live for righteousness – and by his bruises you have been healed. 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.
God did not spare his Son but handed him over for us all.

---

Short reading	(1 Corinthians 9:24-25) ©
All the runners at the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win. All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither.

---

Canticle	Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’
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.
And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’

---

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Christ is the head and we are the body. Let us always give praise to our master, who came to serve all and do good for all. Humbly and faithfully, we ask him: – Come, Lord, to your family. Lord, lend your strength to the bishops and priests of your Church, who share your task as head and as shepherd.   Let them lead all men to the Father through you. – Come, Lord, to your family. Send your angel to accompany travellers,   keeping body and soul safe from the traps that await them. – Come, Lord, to your family. Teach us to serve men   like you, who came to serve, not to be served. – Come, Lord, to your family. Make every human community a place where brother helps brother;   may your presence make it like a city built on rock. – Come, Lord, to your family. Take pity on all the dead,   and bring them into the light of your presence. – Come, Lord, to your family.

---

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 who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

  but deliver us from evil.

---

O God, you told us to listen to your beloved Son.

  Nourish us by planting your word within us;

  give us spiritual clearsightedness

  to see and enjoy the vision of your glory.

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]

Regnum Christi

Seeking the Face of God
March 8, 2009

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Second Sunday of Lent

Father Christopher Scroggin, LC

Mark 9:2-10
Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you revealed to Peter, James and John a glimpse of your future glory in order to strengthen them for the cross. I know that you also wish to strengthen me with your presence so that I may carry my cross well and one day see you face-to-face. I entrust myself to you now through this prayer, seeking to love you with all my mind, heart, soul and strength.

Petition: Lord, show me your face.

1. Man’s Desire for God Jesus spends much time in union with his Father through prayer. In the Gospel today, he climbs the mountain to pray, as is his custom. It is an attitude that reflects man’s desire to be in contact and in union with the divine. There must have been something truly awesome in how Our Lord prayed, for his apostles ask him to teach them. They want the same intimacy they see that Jesus has with the Father. Can I truly say that I ardently long for a greater intimacy with Christ? Do I believe confidently that anyone who seeks God with a sincere heart will find him? How pleasing it is to God the Father when we, his children, turn to him in earnest, filial prayer.

2. Climbing the Mountain of Prayer The image of the “holy mountain” is found throughout the Scriptures from Abraham to Moses, and it is often present in Jesus’ public ministry. A mountain is a physical place, but it also represents for us our seeking God’s face in prayer. Our prayer is the ascent of this “holy mountain” to an encounter with our Father. Are we prepared to make this ascent, knowing that it will involve setbacks and dryness along the way? The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes prayer as a battle: “Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, away from union with God. We pray as we live, because we live as we pray…” (no. 2725). Am I ready to make the effort of climbing ever upwards through prayer? Do I live as I pray, and am I satisfied with that kind of praying and living?

3. The Tools for Climbing Every good mountain climber has the tools he needs to make the ascent. We, too, have the tools we need. First, we have the Gospels themselves, which give us a clear picture of who Jesus is. “He who has seen me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9). Let us meditate frequently on them and ask Our Lord to reveal himself to us through them. Second, we have the sacraments, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist. In the former, we encounter God’s merciful love lavished upon us, restoring us to our filial relationship with him. In the latter, we receive Love himself, Jesus Christ, who has remained in the sacrament so that we could be united with him. Is my prayer well-grounded in a fervent sacramental life?

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I thank you for remaining with us in the Eucharist. It is here especially that I can go to seek your face, to know you more intimately and to grow in my love for you. Increase my love for you; may I return love for love.

Resolution: Today I will take at least five minutes of my time to seek Our Lord in prayer, asking his grace for my needs and the needs of all my loved ones.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Don’t Stop Until You’re Really Done

March 7th, 2009 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 / Rom 8:31-34 / Mk 9:2-10

I have a riddle for you. A woman has two sons, both born at the same hour, on same day, in same year. But they’re not twins. Explain how this can be.

The answer is: They’re part of a set of triplets!

+            +            +

Plain as day, but most of us didn’t see it. That’s because we stop thinking too soon. So often we stop before we see everything that’s there — before we see all the possibilities.

We have a perfect example of this in Sunday’s Gospel. The apostles have been with Jesus for a long time, but they haven’t really seen him. So he takes them to the top of that mountain and shows them who he is on the inside, and they’re dazzled — rightly so. But they stop with that: “This is great!” says Peter.  “Let’s build a shrine for Jesus and we can just stay right here.”

The apostles don’t see the next step, which is their own transformation: Jesus is showing them himself so they’ll know where they’re headed and what they are supposed to become — and that is people so good and so big on the inside that their spirits glow.

They don’t see that next step yet, so Jesus takes them by the hand and leads them back down the mountain. Down there where the real work of life is done very slowly, he’ll help them to understand that growing into full-fledged brothers and sisters of Jesus is the work of a lifetime and there are no shortcuts. It takes faithful commitment that doesn’t stop or turn away when, as so often happens, weariness and sadness begin to take their toll.

It’s an awesome task, this business of staying faithful and not stopping till we’re really done. At every step along the way, we face the temptation to give up and retreat to our own little hilltop. So we need to hear again and again what Paul said to us in Sunday’s epistle: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

The fact is, God IS for us. So hold to course and don’t stop till you’re really done. He will walk with you all the way home!

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Sunday, March 8, 2009 >>

Second Sunday of Lent Saint of the Day

Genesis 22:1-2, 9, 10-13, 15-18
Romans 8:31-34
View Readings

Psalm 116
Mark 9:2-10

IN GOD WE TRUST

"God put Abraham to the test." —Genesis 22:1

 

Lent is a season of being put to the test (see Mt 4:1; Gn 22:1). God, "the Tester of our hearts" (1 Thes 2:4), brings us to obedience school this Lent. He is testing us to see if we trust His promises or if our hearts are far from Him and we've just been giving Him "lip service" (Mk 7:6). Three days ago, the Church proclaimed Jesus' promise that God wants to provide our needs (Mt 7:7-11). Tomorrow Jesus promises us that if we give, God will provide for us lavishly (Lk 6:38).

Do we believe God and His promises? Our lifestyle tells Him whether or not we trust His promises. For example, Abraham trusted God for his family even when he couldn't see a way out of the test (Heb 11:8). This Lent, many are also being tested in the area of conceiving another child. Some will pay more attention to their financial situation or how much energy they have and pay little attention to God and His promises to provide for them. While it is wise to make prudent decisions (see Lk 14:28), this test is not about prudence. It is about trusting God and abandoning yourself into His hands. You can trust every one of God's promises (Jos 23:14; 2 Cor 1:20).

"No test has been sent you that does not come to all men. Besides, God keeps His promise. He will not let you be tested beyond your strength. Along with the test He will give you a way out of it so that you will be able to endure it" (1 Cor 10:13). The exam is beginning. Pass the trust test.

 

Prayer: Father, the money in my pocket proclaims, "In God we trust." May my life of trust in You speak louder than my money.

Promise: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" —Rm 8:31

Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Who has passed all tests and has given us a chance to do the same!

[Salvation]

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night 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.

---

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

---

Hymn

Christ, thou who art the light and day,

Who chasest nightly shades away,

Thyself the Light of Light confessed,

And promiser of radiance blest:

O holy Lord, we pray to thee,

Throughout the night our guardian be;

In thee vouchsafe us to repose,

All peaceful till the night shall close.

O let our eyes due slumber take,

Our hearts to thee forever wake:

And let thy right hand from above

Shield us who turn to thee in love.

O strong defender, hear our prayers,

Repel our foes and break their snares,

And govern thou thy servants here,

Those ransomed with thy life-blood dear.

Almighty Father, this accord

Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord,

Who with the Holy Ghost and thee

Doth reign through all eternity.

---

Psalm 90 (91)

The protection of the Most High

He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

He who lives under the protection of the Most High

  dwells under the shade of the Almighty.

He will say to the Lord:

  “You are my shelter and my strength,

  my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will free you from the hunter’s snare,

  from the voice of the slanderer.

He will shade you with his wings,

  you will hide underneath his wings.

His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

  nor the arrow that flies by day;

nor the plague that walks in the shadows,

  nor the death that lays waste at noon.

A thousand will fall at your side,

  at your right hand ten thousand will fall,

  but you it will never come near.

You will look with your eyes

  and see the reward of sinners.

For the Lord is your shelter and refuge;

  you have made the Most High your dwelling-place.

Evil will not reach you,

  harm cannot approach your tent;

for he has set his angels to guard you

  and keep you safe in all your ways.

They will carry you in their arms

  in case you hurt your foot on a stone.

You walk on the viper and cobra,

  you will tread on the lion and the serpent.

Because he clung to me, I shall free him:

  I shall lift him up because he knows my name.

He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him:

  I am with him in his time of trouble.

I shall rescue him and lead him to glory.

I shall fill him with length of days

  and show him my salvation.

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.

He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night.

---

Reading	Apocalypse 22:4-5
They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever.

---

Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. – Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

---

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace.   You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation,   which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness;   the glory of your people Israel. 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.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace.

---

Prayer
Let us pray.   Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you.   Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

---

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An anthem to Our Lady should be recited here.

[Salvation]

The Sacrifice of Isaac

The Sacrifice of Isaac

March 9th, 2009 by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Everyone knows that Lent is about sacrifice. So it’s fitting that the first reading in the second Sunday of Lent recalls one of the most famous sacrifices of all time.

Here’s the background. Abraham really only desires one thing — a son who will lead to descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky. The only problem is that his wife is barren and advanced in years. So he tries to solve the problem in his own way, and produces a son by a slave girl. This does not prove to work out very well. Next God intervenes, works a miracle, and causes the elderly Sarah to conceive and bear a son. Isaac, then, is not only the firstborn son of Abraham, but really his last hope. There is absolutely nothing more precious to Abraham than his son. Indeed, to give up his son would be to give up himself.

This, by the way, is the true meaning of sacrifice in the ancient world. God deserves everything because he has given us everything. So ancient peoples instinctively knew that authentic sacrifice could never be just a “nod to God.” Rather, it had to be big and precious enough to represent our entire lives. That’s why human sacrifice was so prevalent in ancient times — the offering of the firstborn was seen as the only adequate worship of the gods responsible for our very existence. In Genesis 22, God stops Abraham before he slays his son. The ordeal was just a test to see if Abraham was truly devoted to God in faith, obedience, and gratitude. God does not want Isaac’s blood, only Abraham’s heart. So He provides a substitute, a ram, which shows the true meaning of all authentic sacrifice — we give to God something precious that represents our very selves.

But the image of Isaac carrying the wood for the sacrifice up the slope of Mt. Moriah should tip us off that this story points beyond itself to a future sacrifice beyond all comprehension. The ram caught in the thicket is not the true substitute, and the true sacrifice does not take place upon Moriah. It is the Lamb, not the ram, God’s Son, not Abraham’s, that is offered. Like Isaac, he carried the wood of the sacrifice up the slope of Mt. Calvary. But unlike Isaac, he did so freely, knowing what that sacrifice would cost Him. And His sacrifice accomplishes what no animal sacrifice could possibly accomplish — the eternal salvation of all willing to accept this free gift of love.

For this is what the whole story is about. From Genesis to Revelation, the theme is the astonishing love of God: the love of the Father for His Incarnate Word: “This is my Son, my Beloved” (Mark 9:7); the love of the Father Who sacrifices that beloved Son for us (John 3:16); the love of the Son Who leaves behind the glory of heaven and the brilliant cloud of Mt. Tabor for the agony of Calvary.

Though it is we who owe everything to God, it is He who sacrifices everything for us. Our love for Him can only be a faint echo of His generous and unstoppable love for us. “Is it possible that he who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for the sake of us all will not grant us all things besides?” (Rom 8:32).

So this is the true meaning of Lenten sacrifice. We renew and deepen our dedication to Him and express that by sacrificing something meaningful to us. But as we go about our fasting and almsgiving, let’s not forget to give him some extra time in prayer. After all, in this Sunday’s gospel, God did not ask us to give up chocolate. But, after identifying Jesus as His beloved Son, He did give us a very clear command. He said “Listen to Him!”

 

Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He now directs www.crossroadsinitiative.com, which offers Catholic resources for RCIA and adult and teen faith formation, with a special emphasis on the Eucharist, the Theology of the Body, the early Church Fathers, and the Sacrament of Confirmation.

(This article originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor and is used by permission of the author.)

[annalex]

Mk 9:1-9
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them.	et post dies sex adsumit Iesus Petrum et Iacobum et Iohannem et ducit illos in montem excelsum seorsum solos et transfiguratus est coram ipsis
2	And his garments became shining and exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white.	et vestimenta eius facta sunt splendentia candida nimis velut nix qualia fullo super terram non potest candida facere
3	And there appeared to them Elias with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.	et apparuit illis Helias cum Mose et erant loquentes cum Iesu
4	And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.	et respondens Petrus ait Iesu rabbi bonum est hic nos esse et faciamus tria tabernacula tibi unum et Mosi unum et Heliae unum
5	For he knew not what he said: for they were struck with fear.	non enim sciebat quid diceret erant enim timore exterriti
6	And there was a cloud overshadowing them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my most beloved son; hear ye him.	et facta est nubes obumbrans eos et venit vox de nube dicens hic est Filius meus carissimus audite illum
7	And immediately looking about, they saw no man any more, but Jesus only with them.	et statim circumspicientes neminem amplius viderunt nisi Iesum tantum secum
8	And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them not to tell any man what things they had seen, till the Son of man shall be risen again from the dead.	et descendentibus illis de monte praecepit illis ne cui quae vidissent narrarent nisi cum Filius hominis a mortuis resurrexerit
9	And they kept the word to themselves; questioning together what that should mean, when he shall be risen from the dead.	et verbum continuerunt apud se conquirentes quid esset cum a mortuis resurrexerit

[annalex]

2. And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John, and leads them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
3. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
4. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
5. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
7. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
8. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

PSEUDO-JEROME; After the consummation of the cross, the glory of the resurrection is shown, that they, who were to see with their own eyes the glory of the resurrection to come, might not fear the shame of the cross; wherefore it is said, And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John, and led them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured before them.

CHRYS. Luke in saying, After eight days, does not contradict this; for He reckoned in both the day on which Christ had spoken what goes before, and the day on which He took them up. And the reason that he took them up after six days, was that they, might be filled with a more eager desire during the space of these days, and with a watchful and anxious mind attend to what they saw.

THEOPHYL. And He takes with Him the three chiefs of the Apostles, Peter, as confessing and loving him, John, as the beloved one, James, as being sublime in speech and as a divine; for so displeasing was he to the Jews, that Herod wishing to please the Jews slew him.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He does not however show His glory in a house, but He takes them up into a high mountain, for the loftiness of the mountain was adapted to showing forth the loftiness of His glory.

THEOPHYL. And He took them apart, because He was about to reveal mysteries to them. We must also understand by transfiguration not the change of His features, but that, whilst His features remained as before, there was added unto Him a certain ineffable brightness.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. It is not therefore fitting that in the kingdom of God any change of feature should take place, either in the Savior Himself, or in those who are to be made like to him, but only an addition of brightness.

BEDE; Our Savior then when transfigured did not lose the substance of real flesh, bit showed forth the glory of His own or of our future resurrection; for such as He then appeared to the Apostles, He will after the judgment appear to all His elect. It goes on, And his raiment became shining.

GREG. Because, in the height of the brightness of heaven above, they who shine in righteousness of life, will cling to Him; for by the name of garments, He means the just whom He joins to Himself. There follows And there appeared to them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

CHRYS. He brings Moses and Elias before them; first, indeed, because the multitudes said that Christ was Elias, and one of the Prophets, He shows Himself to the Apostles with them that they might see the difference between the Lord, and His servants. And again because the Jews accused Christ of transgressing the law, and thought Him a blasphemer, as if He arrogated to Himself the glory of His Father, He brought before them those who shone conspicuous in both ways; for Moses gave the Law, and Elias was zealous for the glory of God; for which reason neither would have stood near Him, if He had been opposed to God and to His law.

And that they might know that He holds the power of life and of death, He brings before them both Moses who was dead, and Elias who had not yet suffered death. Furthermore He signified by this that the doctrine of the Prophets was the schoolmaster to the doctrine of Christ. He also signified the junction of the New and Old Testament, and that the Apostles shall be joined in the resurrection with the Prophets, and both together shall go forth to meet their common King. It goes on, And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for or Elias.

BEDE; If the transfigured humanity of Christ and the society of but two saints seen for a moment, could confer delight to such a degree that Peter would, even by serving them, stay their departure, how great a happiness will it be to enjoy the vision of Diety amidst choirs of Angels for ever? it goes on, For he wist not what to say; although, however, Peter from the stupor of human frailty knew not what to say, still He gives a proof of the feelings which were within him; for the cause of his not knowing what to say, was his forgetting that the kingdom was promised to the Saints by the Lord not in any earthly region, but in heaven; he did not remember that he and his fellow-Apostles were still hemmed in by mortal flesh and could not bear the state of immortal life, to which his soul had already carried him away, because in our Father's house in heaven, a house made with hands is not needed. But again even up to this time he is points at, as an ignorant man who wishes to make three tabernacles for the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel, since they in no way can be separated from each other.

CHRYS. Again, Peter neither comprehended that the Lord worked His transfiguration for the showing forth of His true glory, nor that He did this in order to teach men, nor that it was impossible for them to leave the multitude and dwell in the mountain. It goes on, For they were sore afraid. But this fear of theirs was one by which they were raised from their usual state of mind to one higher, and they recognized that those who appeared to them were Moses and Elias. The soul also was drawn on to a state of heavenly feeling, as though carried away from human sense by the heavenly vision.

THEOPHYL. Or else, Peter, fearing to come down from the mount because he has now a presentiment that Christ must be crucified, said, It is good for us too be here, and not to go down there, that is, in the midst of the Jews; but if they who are furious against You come hither, we have Moses who beat down the Egyptians, we have also Elias, who brought fire down from heaven and destroyed the five hundred.

ORIGEN; Mark says his own person, For he wist not what to say. Where it is matter for consideration, whether perchance Peter spoke this in the confusion of his mind, by the motion of a spirit not his own; whether perchance that spirit himself who wished, as far as in him lay, to be a stumbling-block to Christ, so that He might shrink from that Passion, which was the saving of all men, did not here work as a seducer and wish under the color of good to prevent Christ from condescending to men, from coming to them, and taking death upon Himself for their sakes

BEDE; Now because Peter sought for a material tabernacle, he was covered with the shadow of the cloud, that he might learn that in the resurrection they are to be protected not by the covering of houses, but by the glory of the Holy Ghost; wherefore it goes on, There was a cloud that overshadowed them. And the reason why they obtained no answer from the Lord was, that they asked unadvisedly; but the Father answered for the Son, wherefore there follows And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

CHRYS. The voice proceeded from a cloud in which God is wont to appear, that they might believe that the voice was sent forth from God. But in that He says, This is my beloved Son, He declares that the will of the Father and the Son is one, and that, save that the is the Son, He is in all things One with Him who begot Him.

BEDE He then whose preaching, as Moses foretold, every soul that wished to he saved should hear when He came in the flesh, He now come in the flesh is proclaimed by God the Father to the disciples as the one whom they were to hear. There follows, And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves; for as soon as the Son was proclaimed, at once the servants disappeared, lest the voice of the Father should seem to have been sent forth to them.

THEOPHYL. Again mystically; after the end of this world, which was made in six days, Jesus will take us up (if we be His disciples) into a high mountain, that is, into heaven, where we shall see His exceeding glory.

BEDE; And by the garments of the Lord are meant His saints, who will shine with a new whiteness. By the fuller we must understand Him, to whom the Psalmist says, Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin; for He cannot give to His faithful ones upon earth that glory which remains laid up for them in heaven.

REMIG. Or else, by the fuller are meant holy preachers and purifiers of the soul, none of whom in this life can so live as not to be stained with some spots of sin; but in the coming resurrection all the saints shall be purged from every stain of sin. Therefore the Lord will make them such as neither they themselves by taking vengeance on their own members, nor any preacher by his example and doctrine, can make.

CHRYS. Or else, white garments are the writings of Evangelists and Apostles, the like to which no interpreter can frame.

ORIGEN; Or else, fullers upon earth may by a moral interpretation be considered to be the wise of this world, who are thought to adorn even their foul understandings and doctrines with a false whitening drawn from their own minds. But their skill as fullers cannot produce any thing like a discourse which shows forth the brightness of spiritual conceptions in the unpolished words of Scripture, which by many are despised.

BEDE; Moses and Elias, of whom one, as we read, died, the other was carried away to heaven, signify the coming glory of all the Saints, that is, of all who in the judgment-time are either to be found alive in the flesh, or to be raised up from that death of which they tasted, and who are all equally to reign with Him.

THEOPHYL, Or else it means, that we are to see in glory both the Law and the Prophets speaking with Him, that is we shall then find that all those things which were spoken of Him by Moses and the other prophets agree with the reality; then too we shall hear the voice of the Father, revealing to us the Son of the Father, and saying, This is my beloved Son, and the cloud, that is, the Holy Ghost, the fount of truth, will overshadow us.

BEDE; And we must observe, that, as when the Lord was baptized in Jordan, so on the mountain, covered with brightness, the whole mystery of the Holy Trinity is declared, because we shall see in the resurrection that glory of the Trinity which we believers confess in baptism, and shall praise it all together. Nor is it without reason that the Holy Ghost appeared here in a bright cloud, there in the form of a dove; because he who now with a simple heart keeps the faith which He has embraced, shall then contemplate what he had believed with the brightness of open vision. But when the voice had been heard over the Son, He was found Himself alone, because when He shall have manifested Himself to His elect, God shall be all in all, yes Christ with His own, as the Head with the body, shall shine through all things.

9. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
10. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

ORIGEN; After the showing of the mystery on the mount, the Lord commanded His disciples, as they were coming down from the mount, not to reveal His transfiguration, before the glory of His Passion and Resurrection; wherefore it is said, And as they came down from the mountain , he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

CHRYS. Where He not only orders them to be silent, but mentioning His Passion, He implies the cause why they were to be silent.

THEOPHYL. Which He did lest men should be offended, hearing such glorious things of Him Whom they were about to see crucified. It was not therefore fitting to say such things of Christ before He suffered, but after His resurrection they were likely to be believed.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. But they, being ignorant of the mystery of the resurrection, took hold of that saying, and disputed one with another; wherefore there follows, And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

PSEUDO-JEROME; This which is peculiar to Mark, means, that when death shall have been swallowed up in victory, we shall have no memory for the former things. it goes on, And they asked him, saying, Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come.

Catena Aurea Mark 9

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Transfiguration Pantocrator

Greek Orthodox Church
Lowell, MA