[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Sunday, September 9, 2012 >>

23rd Sunday Ordinary Time

Isaiah 35:4-7
James 2:1-5
View Readings

Psalm 146:6-10
Mark 7:31-37

THE CROWD OF DISOBEDIENCE

"Jesus took him off by himself away from the crowd." —Mark 7:33

 

Jesus excluded the crowd from witnessing the healing of a deaf and dumb man. When the crowd recognized that the man had been healed, Jesus "enjoined them strictly not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it" (Mk 7:36). Although the deaf and dumb man had been transformed, the crowd was not. It was still spiritually deaf because it would not listen to Jesus. Since it did not listen to Jesus, it was spiritually dumb in that it could not effectively communicate the gospel.

Many Christians remain in the crowd. We have closed our ears to Jesus. We are disobedient. We don't witness for Jesus when, where, and how He tells us. Even when we do speak up for Jesus, we don't say what He tells us. We "water down" the gospel to make it more and more palatable to a lukewarm, secularized "Christianity." Because our ears are not open to Jesus, we, like the crowd, are ineffective in communicating the gospel even if we open our mouths.

Jesus wants to put His holy fingers into your ears, sighing: " 'Ephphatha!' (that is, 'Be opened!')" (Mk 7:34) Invite Jesus to be the Lord of your hearing and speaking.

 

Prayer: Prayer: Father, I repent. Through disobedience, may I not be crowded out from Your works. Give me "ears open to obedience" (Ps 40:7).

Promise: "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing." —Is 35:5-6

Praise: Praise You, Jesus, Healer, Savior, and Redeemer! Praise You for opening our ears to hear Your good news.

[Salvation]

Prayer for Life

 

Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of Holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength.  Hear my prayer, offered with deep-felt confidence to beg this favor...

O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to thee under the glorious Aztec title of "Guadalupe"--the Virgin who crushed the serpent.

Queen of Martyrs, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across my pathway.  Invoke the Holy Spirit of Wisdom to fortify my will to frequent the Sacraments so that, thus enlightened and strengthened, I may prefer God to all creatures and shun every occasion of sin.

Help me, as a living branch of the vine that is Jesus Christ, to exemplify His Divine charity always seeking the good of others. Queen of Apostles, aid me to win souls for the Sacred Heart of my Savior.  Keep my apostolate fearless, dynamic and articulate, to proclaim the loving solicitude of Our Father in Heaven so that the wayward may heed His pleading and obtain pardon, through the merits of your merciful Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.