Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 01-19-12

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 01-19-12 | Revised New American Bible

[markomalley]

Jan 19, Night Prayer for Thursday of the 2nd week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours:
Vol I, page 1183
Vol II, Page 1642
Vol III, Page 1283
Vol IV, Page 1247

Christian Prayer:
Page 1049

General instruction:
Please pray with us actively, especially by joining with us in saying antiphons and responses, most of which are indicated in this highlight.

Consider an examination of your own conscience before beginning to best make use of our time together in prayer.

Night Prayer for Thursday

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus raise us to new life:
Lord, have mercy
– Lord have mercy

Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins:
Christ, have mercy.
– Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus you feed us with your body and blood:
Lord, have mercy
– Lord have mercy

HYMN

O Lord my God! when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

”How Great Thou Art” by Melinda Kirigin-Voss; Originally this was a Swedish folk melody, “O Store Gud” by Carl Boberg (1859-1940) and was translated by Stuart K. Hine in 1899.
”How Great Thou Art” by Melinda Kirigin-Voss is available from Amazon.com.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

Psalm 16
God is my portion, my inheritance
The Father raised up Jesus from the dead and broke the bonds of death (Acts 2:24).

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord: “You are my God.
My happiness lies in you alone.”

He has put into my heart a marvelous love
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land.
Those who choose other gods increase their sorrows.
Never will I offer their offerings of blood.
Never will I take their name upon my lips.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight:
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.

You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. In you, my God, my body will rest in hope.

READING 1 Thessalonians 5:23

May the God of peace make you perfect in holiness. May he preserve you whole and entire, spirit, soul, and body, irreproachable at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Gospel Canticle

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord God,
send peaceful sleep
to refresh our tired bodies.
May your help always renew us
and keep us strong in your service.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.

Blessing

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
– Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

[Salvation]

Information: St. Canute IV

Feast Day:	January 19
Born:	1043, Denmark
Died:	July 10, 1086, Odense
Canonized:	1101
Major Shrine:	Saint Canute's Cathedral, Odense
Patron of:	Denmark

[Salvation]

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Canute

Feast Day: January 19
Died: 1086

St. Canute was a strong, wise king of Denmark and was called Knud IV. He was a great athlete, an expert horseman, and a marvelous general. He married Adela, sister of Count Roberts of Flanders.

At the beginning of his reign, he led a war against the barbarians and his army defeated them. He loved the Christian faith so much that he introduced it to people who had never heard of Christianity. Through his kingdom, he spread the gospel, built churches and supported missionaries.

St. Canute knelt in church at the foot of the altar and offered his crown to the King of kings, Jesus. King Canute was very charitable and gentle with his people. He tried to help them with their problems. Most of all, he wanted to help them be true followers of Jesus.

But trouble started in his kingdom because of the laws he had made about supporting the Church and he fled to the Island of Fünen. Then one day some angry people went to the church of Saint Alban where Canute and some of his followers were praying. He knew they had come to harm him.

While his enemies were still outside, King Canute received the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. He felt compassion for those who were upset enough to kill him. With all his heart he forgave his enemies.

Then, as he prayed, a spear was thrown through a window and he was killed. It was July 10, 1086.

St. Canute tried to be a good king so he could thank Jesus for all the blessings he had received. We, too, should thank God every day and offer him a crown made up of good deeds.

[Salvation]

Catholic

Almanac:

Thursday, January 19
Liturgical Color: Green
January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus can be traced back at least to the 1400’s. The Litany invokes various titles of Jesus, praising Him as our God and Savior.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: January 19, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who govern all things, both in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the pleading of your people and bestow your peace on our times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

• Danish Cinnamon Snails

ACTIVITIES

• St. Canute's Day

PRAYERS

• Novena for Church Unity
• Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity

Ordinary Time: January 19th

  Thursday of the Second Week of Ordinary Time Old Calendar: Sts. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum, martyrs; St. Canute, martyr

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Sts. Marius, Martha, Audivax and Abachum, a group of Roman martyrs of the third century. St. Canute was king of Denmark; he was put to death out of hatred of his faith and his zeal in working for its extension in his kingdom. He was killed in St. Alban's Church in Odense.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

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St. Marius and Family
Their feast does not appear in the Roman calendar until the twelfth century. The Acts of these martyrs are wholly legendary. They give the following details. Marius was a Persian of noble extraction. With his wife, who was also noble-born, and his two sons, Audifax and Abachus, he came to Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II (268-270) to venerate the graves of the martyrs. They visited the Christians in prison, encouraged them by word and deed, and shared with them their goods. And like Tobias of old, they buried the bodies of the saints.

It was not long before they themselves were arrested; and when neither threats nor allurements could make them offer sacrifice to the idols, they were savagely flogged. Martha was the first to die, but not before she had fervently exhorted her husband and sons to endure steadfastly whatever tortures might be inflicted for the faith. All were beheaded in the same place and their bodies thrown into the fire. Felicitas, a saintly Roman woman, succeeded in recovering the half-burnt bodies and buried them on her estate.

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St. Canute
St. Canute, king of Denmark, was murdered in St. Alban's Church, Odense, July 10, 1086. The Martyrology confuses him with his nephew, St. Canute the Duke, who died on January 7, 1131, and was canonized November 8, 1169, by Pope Alexander III. St. Canute is also called Canute the holy, or Danish Knut, or Knud, Den Hellige, or Sankt Knut, or Knud.

The son of King Sweyn II Estrithson of Denmark, Canute succeeded his brother Harold Hen as king of Denmark. Canute opposed the aristocracy and kept a close association with the church in an attempt to create a powerful and centralized monarchy.

In ecclesiastical matters, Canute generously patronized several churches, including the Cathedral of Lund, Denmark's archbishopric; established a Benedictine abbey at Odense; and supported apostolic preaching throughout Denmark. In temporal matters, he attempted an administrative reform, particularly an enforced levying of tithes that incurred the wrath of the rural aristocracy. In 1085 he reasserted the Danish claims to England and, with the count of Flanders and King Olaf III of Norway, prepared a massive invasion fleet that alarmed the Norman-English king William I the Conqueror.

Canute's plan, however, had to be abandoned suddenly, for those aristocrats who opposed his tax policy revolted as he was preparing to embark for England. He fled from the rebels, led by his brother Prince Olaf, to St. Alban's Church, Odense, which he had founded, and was assassinated there with the entire royal party.

Canute was buried in St. Alban's, renamed c. 1300 St. Canute's Cathedral. Miracles were recorded at his tomb, and, at the request (1099) of King Erik III Evergood of Denmark, he was canonized (1101) by Pope Paschal II.

Patron: Zeeland, Denmark.

Symbols: Knight with a wreath, lance, and ciborium.

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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Eight Days reflecting on our change in Christ

Day Two: Changed through patient waiting for the Lord
Let it be so now, for it is proper to fulfil all righteousness (Mt 3:15)

On this day we concentrate on patient waiting for the Lord. To achieve any change, perseverance and patience are needed. Prayer to God for any kind of transformation is also an act of faith and trust in his promises. Such waiting for the Lord is essential for all who pray for the visible unity of the church this week. All ecumenical activities require time, mutual attention and joint action. We are all called to co-operate with the work of the Spirit in uniting Christians.

Vatican Resources

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Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 3
7.	But Jesus retired with his disciples to the sea; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee and Judea,	Jesus autem cum discipulis suis secessit ad mare : et multa turba a Galilæa et Judæa secuta est eum,	και ο ιησους ανεχωρησεν μετα των μαθητων αυτου προς την θαλασσαν και πολυ πληθος απο της γαλιλαιας ηκολουθησαν αυτω και απο της ιουδαιας
8.	And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan. And they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing the things which he did, came to him.	et ab Jerosolymis, et ab Idumæa, et trans Jordanem : et qui circa Tyrum et Sidonem multitudo magna, audientes quæ faciebat, venerunt ad eum.	και απο ιεροσολυμων και απο της ιδουμαιας και περαν του ιορδανου και οι περι τυρον και σιδωνα πληθος πολυ ακουσαντες οσα εποιει ηλθον προς αυτον
9.	And he spoke to his disciples that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.	Et dicit discipulis suis ut navicula sibi deserviret propter turbam, ne comprimerent eum :	και ειπεν τοις μαθηταις αυτου ινα πλοιαριον προσκαρτερη αυτω δια τον οχλον ινα μη θλιβωσιν αυτον
10.	For he healed many, so that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had evils.	multos enim sanabat, ita ut irruerent in eum ut illum tangerent, quotquot habebant plagas.	πολλους γαρ εθεραπευσεν ωστε επιπιπτειν αυτω ινα αυτου αψωνται οσοι ειχον μαστιγας
11.	And the unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him: and they cried, saying:	Et spiritus immundi, cum illum videbant, procidebant ei : et clamabant, dicentes :	και τα πνευματα τα ακαθαρτα οταν αυτον εθεωρει προσεπιπτεν αυτω και εκραζεν λεγοντα οτι συ ει ο υιος του θεου
12.	Thou art the Son of God. And he strictly charged them that they should not make him known.	Tu es Filius Dei. Et vehementer comminabatur eis ne manifestarent illum.	και πολλα επετιμα αυτοις ινα μη φανερον αυτον ποιησωσιν

[annalex]

9. And he spoke to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
10. For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
11. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, You ard the Son of God.
12. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

THEOPHYL. At the same time again, he goes away, that by quitting the ungrateful he might do good to more, for many followed him, and he healed them. For there follows, And great multitude from Galilee, &c. Syrians and Sidonians, being foreigners, receive benefit from Christ; but His kindred the Jews persecute Him: thus there is no profit in relationship, if there be not a similarity in goodness.

BEDE; For the strangers followed Him, because they saw the works of His powers, and in order to hear the words of His teaching. But the Jews, induced solely by their opinion of His powers, in a vast multitude come to hear Him, and to beg for His aiding health; wherefore there follows, And he spoke to his disciples, that they should wait, &c.

THEOPHYL. Consider then how he hid His glory, for he begs for a little ship, lest the crowd should hurt Him, so that entering into it, he might remain unharmed. it follows, As many as had scourges, &c. But he means by scourges, diseases, for God scourges us, as a father does His children.

BEDE; Both therefore fell down before the Lord, those who had the plagues of bodily diseases, and those who were vexed by unclean spirits. The sick did this simply with the intention of obtaining health, but the demoniacs, or rather the devils within them, because under the mastery of a fear of God they were compelled not only to fall down before Him, but also to praise His majesty; wherefore it goes on, And they cried out, saying, You are the Son of God. And here we must wonder at the blindness of the Arians, who, after the glory of His resurrection, deny the Son of God, Whom the devils confess to be the Son of God, though still clothed with human flesh.

There follows, And he straitly charged them, that they should not make him known. For God said to the sinner, Why do you preach my laws? A sinner is forbidden to preach the Lord, lest any one listening to his preaching should follow him in his error, for the devil is an evil master, who always mingles false things with true, that the semblance of truth may cover the witness of fraud. But not only devils, but persons healed by Christ, and even Apostles, are ordered to be silent concerning Him before the Passion, lest by the preaching of the majesty of His Divinity, the economy of His Passion should be retarded. But allegorically, in the Lord's coming out of the synagogue, and them retiring to the sea, The prefigured the salvation of the Gentiles, to whom The deigned to come through their faith, having quitted the Jews on account of their perfidy. For the nations, driven about in divers by-paths of error, are fitly compared to the unstable sea.

Again, a great crowd from various provinces followed Him, because He has received with kindness many nations, who came to Him through the preaching of the Apostles. But the ship waiting upon the Lord in the sea is the Church, collected from amongst the nations; and He goes into it lest the crowd should throng Him, because flying from the troubled minds of carnal persons, The delights to come to those who despise the glory of this world, and to dwell within them. Further, there is a difference between thronging the Lord, and touching Him; for they throng Him, when by carnal thoughts and deeds they trouble peace, in which truth dwells; but he touches Him, who by faith and love has received Him into his heart; wherefore those who touched Him are said to have been saved.

THEOPHYL. Morally again, the Herodians, that is, persons who love the lusts of the flesh, wish to slay Christ. For the meaning of Herod is, 'of skin.' But those who quit their country, that is, a carnal mode of living, follow Christ, and their plagues are healed, that is, the sins which wound their conscience. But Jesus in us is our reason, which commands that our vessel, that is, our body, should serve Him, lest the troubles of worldly affairs should press upon our reason.

Catena Aurea Mark 3

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Christ preaching at the seaport

Jan Brueghel

1597
London, Private Collection

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7

“Saul has slain his thou­sands, and David his ten thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:7)

Saul was a man with both strengths and weaknesses. As Israel’s first king, chosen by God and anointed by the prophet Samuel, he certainly enjoyed the favor of the Lord and received divine strength for his mission. A strong man, marked with dignity above his fel­low Israelites, he had personal cour­age and charisma. He was a natural leader, and he began his reign with great promise and potential.

Yet Saul’s adult life was marked by two tragic flaws: jealousy and dis­obedience. Today’s first reading high­lights his jealous streak. The fact that David—a mere servant—was receiv­ing greater acclamation than Saul drove the king to consider David a rival and contemplate killing him. Even though Saul’s son, Jonathan, was able to temporarily persuade Saul not to harm David, Scripture tells us that his jealousy did not end. On numerous occasions later on, Saul made attempts on David’s life. Ultimately, David was forced to flee.

As if this weren’t enough, Saul also exhibited a pattern of disobe­dience toward God. After he won a particularly fierce battle against the Amalekites, Saul offered an unlaw­ful sacrifice (1 Samuel 13:8-10). He also spared the Amalekites’ king and the best of the people’s cattle, in direct disobedience to God’s com­mand (15:7-9). Finally, in defiance of the Law of Moses, Saul consulted a pagan soothsayer to seek direction instead of asking God for guidance (28:4-25). On the next day, Saul was critically wounded in battle and, in despair, took his own life (31:3-6).

Don’t make the same mistake as Saul! Don’t underestimate the destructive potential of sin! It’s because Saul let failings like jeal­ousy and disobedience fester in him that he met with such a tragic death. Perhaps you are struggling with some flaws in your own life. Rather than turning a blind eye to them or, even worse, feeding them, find the cour­age to turn to Jesus for healing and strength. Go to him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and let him set you free. Don’t give up on God. He hasn’t given up on you. Even now, he promises that he can change any­one who turns to him.

“Lord Jesus, heal me of every hurtful situation and jealous thought. Let your love and compassion restore my soul.”

Psalm 56:2-3,9-13; Mark 3:7-12

[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for January 19, 2012:

Winning an argument is not about proving you’re right. It’s not YOUR problem or MY problem. It’s OUR problem. Sometimes the marriage can win if you lose.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Touching the Lord

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time (January 19, 2012).

January 19, 2012
Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Father Walter Schu, LC

Mark 3:7-12
Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.  And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, "You are the Son of God." He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, this time of prayer should be everything for me: the moment that I long for, the food that sustains me, the comfort that strengthens me. I know that you are at work in me even when I don’t feel you and don’t even seem able to perceive your presence. I want to pray fervently and from the heart, not just with my mind.

Petition: Lord, help me to touch you in this moment of prayer. Help me to touch you in the Eucharist so that your presence will transform me.

1. Was Jesus Afraid? In yesterday’s Gospel text, Jesus silenced the Pharisees in the synagogue. So incensed were they against the Lord that they began to plot with the Herodians to kill him. Now Jesus has retreated from the synagogues to the lakeshore and the open fields. Was Christ afraid? Was he running from his enemies? Hardly. The Lord was simply aware that his hour had not yet come. When it does approach, he will embrace it by marching resolutely to Jerusalem and his passion and death. The ones who really are afraid are the demons. They recognize that God is manifesting his power through Christ, and they tremble before him. The Son of God has come to win back what Satan’s lies have stolen. Does Christ’s power accompanying me in my life give me the courage I need to confront any situation as his witness?

2. To Touch the Lord. In this vivid Gospel scene, the crowds of stricken humanity clamor around Jesus. Jews and gentiles journey from the far away regions of Idumea to the south, and Tyre and Sidon to the north, to catch a glimpse of the Master, to hear him speak words that no one has ever spoken before—to touch him and be healed of their infirmities. Oh, that we too had lived during the time of Christ in order to touch him and be cured of our sadness and selfishness, our heartache and egotism, our loneliness and lies, and even our physical ailments! Did Christ love those people who surrounded him by the lakeshore more than he loves us? No. He enables us to touch him more easily than they – every time we receive him in the Eucharist. Then why are we not yet healed? The disciples once cried out to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” And he replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed….”

3. The Person of Christ: Irresistible. How can we grow in our faith in Christ? How can we, too, experience the irresistible attraction of his person like the crowds in Mark’s Gospel did? Nothing fills our life as much as contemplating the figure of Christ and perceiving the irresistible power of attraction he exercises through the centuries. Draw close to him, and in the depths of your souls contemplate him in all of the beauty of his human and divine stature. Along with the Eucharist, it is through prayer that we can come to touch Christ. Prayer is the most solemn moment for confessing our love; it is the raison d’être of our life, the ideal of our apostolate, the nourishment of our whole existence.

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for letting me catch a glimpse of who you are through this meditation. Help me to respond to the attraction of your person with my whole life and to hold nothing back from you.

Resolution: I will visit Christ in the Eucharist or make a spiritual communion to thank him for his love and to contemplate him in the beauty of his divine and human stature.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Time for Friendship

January 19th, 2012 by Food For Thought  ·

First Reading: 1 Sm 18:6-9, 19:1-7
Psalm: Ps 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13
Gospel: Mk 3:7-12

One of the most beautiful relationships described in the bible is
the friendship between Jonathan and David. King Saul, the father of
Jonathan was nearly driven to insanity by jealousy and hatred for
David who was Jonathan’s bosom friend. Time and time again Jonathan
took the side of his friend David against the wishes of his own
father.

Friendship is magic. It can transform the dull routine of everyday
life into something magical. Friends are capable of bringing out of
us our very best selves. Since friends are more ready to accept us
and forgive us our faults and failings, we are able to love, accept
and forgive ourselves. The mystery of friendship is that, in spite
of our selfishness, we are able not only to take but also to give.
In a time of busy and hectic schedules, friends are able to share
time together.

Jesus calls us friends. He initiated a friendship with his
followers, and that includes us. He offers us a much deeper and more
beautiful friendship than the one between Jonathan and David. Jesus
accepts us as we are. He forgives us seventy times seven times
without keeping count of how many times he has forgiven us. He is
always there for us. He always has time for us.

But the question is: Do we have time for Jesus? Friendship needs
time and patience to develop and deepen. If only we would take the
time to develop the friendship Jesus offers us, we would be able to
carry a smile on our face no matter what problems we are facing. As
Jonathan defended David before his father Saul, so Jesus takes our
side and defends us when we sinners approach our heavenly Father. We
should continually thank the Lord for his friendship. Our friendship
with Jesus will surely deepen the more we take time out to be closer
to Jesus in prayer, sharing our inmost feelings with him and
listening to what he has to say.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Thursday, January 19, 2012 >>

Saint of the Day

1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7
View Readings

Psalm 56:2-3, 9-13

Mark 3:7-12

TRUE HUMILITY IS GLADNESS

"Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: 'They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me.' " —1 Samuel 18:8

 

King Saul won a great victory in battle through the catalyst of young David's courageous defeat of the fierce Goliath. When the cheerleaders greeted the victors with the fight song, Saul was given opening honors and credit for thousands (1 Sm 18:7). Because of his pride, however, all Saul could focus on was that David received more credit than he did (1 Sm 18:8). He was jealous of David and could feel no gladness that David, his courageous and faithful servant, received well-deserved acclaim. "The next day an evil spirit...came over Saul" (1 Sm 18:10) and ultimately Saul's pride and jealousy (1 Sm 18:9) led to his downfall.

John the Baptizer toiled for years in the desert to lead the Israelites to repentance and prepare the Lord's way. John's mission was gaining momentum, and many came to him to be baptized. Then Jesus came and people started flocking to Him rather than John (Jn 3:26). John was "overjoyed" (Jn 3:29) at Jesus' success. John saw himself as the "best man" (Jn 3:29), who stands happily forgotten at the altar while the groom (Jesus) is showered with attention. John's humility was not a self-pitying disappearing act that bites its tongue so as not to ruin the party. Rather, John was genuinely delighted to see Jesus prosper at the expense of his own popularity. He humbly exclaimed: "That is my joy, and it is complete. [Jesus] must increase, while I must decrease" (Jn 3:29-30). With John, let us gladly rejoice as we are humbled.

 

Prayer: Father, may I advance to the next level of true humility.

Promise: "In God I trust without fear; what can flesh do against me?" —Ps 56:12

Praise: Matt, a youth group leader, worked hard at reaching out to God's little ones so that they had a chance to "shine."

[Salvation]

 

 

Yes, God will always choose life, 

not abortion!