Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 10-29-13

October 29, 2013

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.

Responsorial Psalm PS 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.

Gospel Lk 13:18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”

Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

18. Then said he, to what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
19. It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
20. And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21. It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

GLOSS. While His adversaries were ashamed, and the people rejoiced, at the glorious things that were done by Christ, He proceeds to explain the progress of the Gospel under certain similitudes, as it follows, Then said he, to what is the kingdom of God like? It is like a grain of mustard seed, &c.

AMBROSE; In another place, a grain of mustard seed is introduced where it is compared to faith. If then the mustard seed is the kingdom of God, and faith is as the grain of mustard seed; faith is truly the kingdom of heaven, which is within us. A grain of mustard seed is indeed a mean and trifling thing, but as soon as it is crushed, it pours forth its power. And faith at first seems simple, but when it is buffeted by adversity, pours forth the grace of its virtue. The martyrs are grains of mustard seed. They have about them the sweet odor of faith, but it is hidden. Persecution comes; they are smitten by the sword; and to the farthest boundaries of the whole world they have scattered the seeds of their martyrdom. The Lord Himself also is a grain of mustard seed; He wished to be bruised that we might see that we are a sweet savor of Christ. He wishes to be sown as a grain of mustard seed, which when a man takes he puts it into his garden. For Christ was taken and buried in a garden, where also he rose again and became a tree, as it follows, And it waxed into a great tree. For our Lord is a grain when He is buried in the earth, a tree when He is lifted up into the heaven. He is also a tree overshadowing the world, as it follows, And the fowls of the air rested in his branches; that is, the heavenly powers and they whoever (for their spiritual deeds) have been thought worthy to fly forth. Peter is a branch, Paul is a branch, into whose arms, by certain hidden ways of disputation, we who were afar off now fly, having taken up the wings of the virtues. Sow then Christ in your garden; a garden is truly a place full of flowers, wherein the grace of your work may blossom; and the manifold odor of your different virtues be breathed forth. Wherever is the fruit of the seed, there is Christ.

CYRIL Or else; The kingdom of God is the Gospel, through which we gain the power of reigning with Christ. As then the mustard seed is surpassed in size by the seeds of other herbs, yet so increases as to become the shelter of many birds; so also the life-giving doctrine was at first in the possession only of few? but afterwards spread itself abroad.

BEDE; Now the man, is Christ, the garden, His Church, to be cultivated by His discipline. He is well said to have taken the grain, because the gifts which He together with the Father gave to us from His divinity, He took from His humanity. But the preaching of the Gospel grew and was disseminated throughout the whole world. It grows also in the mind of every believer, for no one is suddenly made perfect. But in its growth, not like the grass, (which soon withers,) but it rises up like the trees. The branches of this tree are the manifold doctrines, on which the chaste souls, soaring upwards on the wings of virtue, build and repose.

THEOPHYL. Or, any man receiving a grain of mustard seed, that is, the word of the Gospel, and sowing it in the garden of his soul, makes it a great tree, so as to bring forth branches, and the birds of the air (that is, they who soar above the earth) rest in the branches, (that is, in sublime contemplation.) For Paul received the instruction of Ananias as it were a small grain, but planting it in his garden, he brought forth many good doctrines, in which they dwell who have high heavenly thoughts, as Dionysius, Hierotheus, and many others.

He next likens the kingdom of God to leaven, for it follows, And again he says, if Whereunto shall I liken it? It is like to leaven, &c.

AMBROSE; Many think Christ is the leaven, for leaven which is made from meal, excels its kind in strength, not in appearance. So also Christ (according to the fathers) shone forth above others equal in body, but unapproachable in excellence. The Holy Church therefore represents the type of the woman, of whom it is added, Which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, fill the whole was leavened.

BEDE; The Satum is a kind of measure in use in the province of Palestine, holding about a bushel and a half.

AMBROSE; But we are the meal of the woman which hide the Lord Jesus in the secrets of our hearts, until the heat of heavenly wisdom penetrates our innermost recesses. And since He says it was hid in three measures, it seems fitting that we should believe the Son of God to have been hid in the Law, veiled in the Prophets, manifested in the preaching of the Gospel. Here however I am invited to proceed farther, because our Lord Himself has taught us, that the leaven is the spiritual teaching of the Church. Now the Church sanctifies with its spiritual leaven the man who is renewed in body, soul, and spirit, seeing that these three are united in a certain equal measure of desire, and there breathes forth a complete harmony of the will. If then in this life the three measures abide in the same person until they are leavened and become one, there will be hereafter an incorruptible communion with them that love Christ.

THEOPHYL. Or, for the woman you must understand the soul; but the three measures, its three parts, the reasoning part, the affections, and the desires. If then any one has hidden in these three the word of God, he will make the whole spiritual, so as not by his reason to lie in argument, nor by his anger or desire to be transported beyond control, but to be conformed to the word of God.

AUG. Or, the three measures of meal are the race of mankind, which was restored out of the three sons of Noah. The woman who hid the leaven is the wisdom of God.

EUSEBIUS; Or else, by the leaven our Lord means the Holy Spirit, the Sower proceeding (as it were) from the seed, which is the word of God. But the three measures of meal, signify the knowledge of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which the woman, that is, Divine wisdom, and the Holy Spirit, impart.

BEDE; Or, by the leaven He speaks of love, which kindles and stirs up the heart; the woman, that is, the Church, hides the leaven of love in three measures, because she bids us love God with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength. And this until the whole is leavened, that is, until love moves the whole soul into the perfection of itself, which begins here, but will be completed hereafter.

Catena Aurea Luke 13

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Narcissus

Feast Day: October 29
Born: 99 :: Died: 215

Saint Narcissus from the time he was young, took great interest and care to study about his Christian faith. When he was of age, he became a priest and because he was so good, people called him "the holy priest".

He only became the Bishop of Jerusalem when he was eighty years old but he ruled the Church with the energy of a young man. Narcissus was an excellent bishop and with God's grace performed many miracles.

One Holy Saturday, the members of his Church were all upset because they could not find any oil to light the lamps in the Church for the Easter Vigil.

St. Narcissus asked them to draw water from a nearby well and after he blessed it, told them to put it in the lamps. To the delight of the people, the water changed to oil and some of this oil was later saved in a sealed jar in Jerusalem in memory of the miracle.

Everyone admired this good and holy man except people who chose to live evil lives. Three enemies of the saint accused him of a terrible crime.

One said: "May I die by fire if it is not true!"
The second said: "May I be wasted away by leprosy if it is not true."
The third said: "May I be struck blind if it is not true."

Yet no one believed their lie and the wicked story. The people knew how good Narcissus was. But Narcissus who wanted to spend time alone with God in prayer used it as an excuse to go off and live in the desert.

His put his trust in God, whom he served so lovingly. And God took care of Narcissus by proving that the story of those men was not true. Each of the men got the punishment they had called upon their own heads.

Then because his people pleaded, Narcissus returned to be bishop of Jerusalem to the great joy of his people. Although he was even older, he seemed to be more energetic and stronger than ever.

When he became too weak to carry on, he begged God to send him a bishop to help him. Our Lord sent him another saint, Alexander of Cappadocia. With great love and eagerness, they ruled the diocese together.

Narcissus lived to be over 116 years old. He died in the year 215.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:October 29, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise. 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

o Milk and Honey Cookies

ACTIVITIES

o Religion in the Home for Elementary School: October

o Religion in the Home for Preschool: October

PRAYERS

o St. Narcissus Prayer

LIBRARY

o Answering Scandal With Personal Holiness | Fr. Roger J. Landry

o We Must Disregard the Criticisms of this World's Children | St. Francis de Sales

o Ordinary Time: October 29thTuesday of the Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: St. Narcissus (Hist)

Historically today is the feast of St. Narcissus who was consecrated Bishop of Jerusalem about the year 180. He was already an old man, and God attested his merits by many miracles, which were long held in memory by the Christians of Jerusalem. The holy bishop had long desired a life of solitude, and he withdrew secretly into the desert, leaving the Church in peace. But God spoke for His servant, and the bishop's accusers suffered the penalties they had invoked. Then Narcissus returned to Jerusalem and resumed his office. He died in extreme old age, bishop to the last.

St. Narcissus
St Narcissus was born towards the close of the first century, and was almost fourscore years old when he was placed at the head of the church of Jerusalem, being the thirtieth bishop of that see. Eusebius assures us that the Christians of Jerusalem preserved in his time the remembrance of several miracles which God had wrought by this holy bishop, one of which he relates as follows. One year, on Easter-eve, the deacons were unprovided with oil for the lamps in the church, necessary at the solemn divine office that day. Narcissus ordered those who had care of the lamps to bring him some water from the neighbouring wells. This being done, he pronounced a devout prayer over the water; then bade them pour it into the lamps, which they did, and it was immediately converted into oil, to the great surprise of the faithful. Some of this miraculous oil was kept there as a memorial at the time when Eusebius wrote his history. The veneration of all good men for this holy bishop could not shelter him from the malice of the wicked. Three incorrigible sinners, fearing his inflexible severity in the observance of ecclesiastical discipline, laid to his charge a detestable crime, which Eusebius does not specify. They confirmed their atrocious calumny by dreadful oaths and imprecations; one wishing he might perish by fire, another that he might be struck with a leprosy, and the third that he might lose his sight, if what they alleged was not the truth. Notwithstanding these protestations, their accusation did not find credit; and some time after the divine vengeance pursued the calumniators. The first was burnt in his house, with his whole family, by an accidental fire in the night; the second was struck with a universal leprosy; and the third, terrified by these examples, confessed the conspiracy and slander, and by the abundance of tears which he continually shed for his sins, lost his sight before his death.

Narcissus, notwithstanding the slander had made no impression on the people to his disadvantage, could not stand the shock of the bold calumny, or rather made it an excuse for leaving Jerusalem and spending some time in solitude, which had long been his wish. He spent several years undiscovered in his retreat, where he enjoyed all the happiness and advantage which a close conversation with God can bestow. That his church might not remain destitute of a pastor, the neighbouring bishops of the province after some time placed in it Pius, and after him Germanion, who dying in a short time was succeeded by Gordius. Whilst this last held the see, Narcissus appeared again, like one from the dead. The whole body of the faithful, transported at the recovery of their holy pastor, whose innocence had been most authentically vindicated, conjured him to reassume the administration of the diocese. He acquiesced; but afterwards, bending under the weight of extreme old age, made St. Alexander his coadjutor. St. Narcissus continued to serve his flock, and even other churches, by his assiduous prayers and his earnest exhortations to unity and concord, as St. Alexander testifies in his letter to the Arsinoites in Egypt, where he says that Narcissus was at that time, about one hundred and sixteen years old. The Roman Martyrology honours his memory on the 29th of October.

If we truly respect the church as the immaculate spouse of our Lord, we will incessantly pray for its exaltation and increase, and beseech the Almighty to give it pastors according to his own heart, like those who appeared in the infancy of Christianity. And, that no obstacle on our part may prevent the happy effects of their zeal, we should study to regulate our conduct by the holy maxims which they inculcate; we should regard them as the ministers of Christ; we should listen to them with docility and attention; we should make their faith the rule of ours, and shut our ears against the language of profane novelty.

—Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Luke 13:18-21

30th Week in Ordinary Time

It is like a mustard seed… . It is like yeast. (Luke 13:19, 21)

If seeds and yeast remain in their packages, they remain inert. Nothing happens until the package is ripped open and the contents are hidden in something else and given time to work. Then the results can be spectacular.

In a similar way, God’s kingdom has been hidden in our hearts through Baptism. That kingdom is so dynamic and powerful that it can overcome every obstacle.

Now, we can remain unaware of this seed’s awesome potential. Or we may keep God in a package marked “Sunday” or “rule keeping” or “Church.” But when we do, we miss out on the full extent of the gift we have received.

If you want to knead the seeds and the yeast of the kingdom of God into your life, one effective way is with a three-word prayer: “Come, Holy Spirit.”

When you first wake up and face your day, what’s your first thought? Oh, I wish I could stay in bed a little longer? or I don’t know how I’m going to handle what’s on my plate today? Instead, try praying, “Come, Holy Spirit.” Let God flood you with his love.

When you sit down to reflect on Scripture, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” Maybe God will lead you to a passage that speaks to your deepest need today. Maybe he will open up a new insight into how to apply a familiar verse. Or maybe he will bring to mind someone who needs your prayer.

With each person you encounter today, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” How does God want you to reach out to that person in love? Perhaps you can listen patiently even though he has a hard time expressing what he wants to say. Perhaps the Spirit will inspire you to say, “Can we pray about that together right now?”

When you move from one location to another, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” When something unexpected happens, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” When you’re not sure what to say or do, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” When something hurts you, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.” When you see something beautiful or wonderful, pray, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

Let the seeds of the kingdom of God take root!

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love.”

Romans 8:18-25; Psalm 126:1-6

Regnum Christi

The Kingdom of Heaven Infiltrates and Enriches Everything It Touches

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Father James Swanson, LC

Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches." Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you with a faith that never seeks to test you. I trust in you, hoping to learn to accept and follow your will, even when it does not make sense to the way that I see things. May my love for you and those around me be similar to the love you have shown to me.

Petition: Lord, help me to value and seek the invisible strength of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1. The Kingdom Grows from Small Beginnings: Jesus tells us two parables to help us understand the Kingdom of Heaven. What does he want us to know about it? When he speaks about the mustard seed, he is emphasizing that something that seems inconsequential can grow to become something of great importance. Although the mustard seed is so small as to be nearly invisible, it grows into a small tree, big enough for birds to make a nest in. Its usefulness goes beyond its own needs. It can give shelter and support to others.

2. You Don’t Have to Understand Biology to Be a Baker: In the parable of the leaven, something similar happens. Leaven has a mysterious property. Although it seems to be nothing special itself, even a small amount of it, mixed with dough, causes the dough to rise. The Jews listening to Jesus didn’t know why. They didn’t know that the leaven contained yeast spores that under the right conditions of heat, moisture and nutrients, would begin to grow and produce carbon dioxide gas (which is what makes the dough rise). It was mysterious to them, what power the leaven contained, but they knew that just a little of it would transform a much larger quantity of dough, so that the resulting bread would not just be matzo, but a much larger quantity of light, airy bread that is much nicer to eat. In a similar way, grace transforms the ordinary acts of our day, making them much nicer in God’s eyes.

3. The Church Transforms Societies: Both these parables apply to the Kingdom of Heaven. As he spoke, Jesus had before him just a few apostles who still didn’t grasp his message very well. The Kingdom of Heaven was so small as to be invisible, like the mustard seed. But it was destined to have incredible growth, such that it would begin to help all humanity and not just those who belonged to it. When he speaks of the leaven, he refers not just to the growth that the Kingdom of Heaven would undergo throughout the centuries, but to the transformation it would accomplish in the societies it entered. We see this in the world today. The Church has not only grown, but it has also come to affect many who are not in the Church and to transform society. The apostles, who did not see the Kingdom very clearly, had a hard time accepting this. We have seen much more, and yet we still doubt and hesitate.

Conversation with Christ: Dear Jesus I have seen so much of your Kingdom that I should believe without hesitation, yet I still worry about the final triumph of your Kingdom. Help me to have a greater faith, not only to believe what you said, but to help the spread of the Kingdom continue to come true in my society and culture.

Resolution:I will try to be more optimistic about the Church in society, seeing how it has influenced so much of what is best in our society – love for the poor, love for enemies etc. Knowing that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit, I will accept that as it has happened so many times in the past, just when things look bleakest for the Church, God turns the tables, and it enters into another Golden Age. Didn’t John Paul II predict that we were just launching out into the New Age of Evangelization?

One Bread One Body

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 29, Issue 6

<< Tuesday, October 29, 2013 >>

Romans 8:18-25
View Readings

Psalm 126:1-6

Luke 13:18-21
Similar Reflections

HOPE CHEST

"Creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but by Him Who once subjected it; yet not without hope." —Romans 8:20

We should not compare ourselves with other people, but we should compare our present sufferings "with the glory to be revealed in us" (Rm 8:18). We Christians may suffer greatly because we follow Jesus Who suffered greatly. However, our sufferings should not be due to our sin (see 1 Pt 4:15); they should be in the pattern of Jesus' death (see Phil 3:10). Although these sufferings hurt us, we consider them to be nothing compared with our hope to rise from the dead, see Jesus face to face, and live forever with Him in the perfect joy of heaven.

When we hope in the Lord, we compare the present with the future in such a way that we rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4). Hope makes it possible for us to rejoice in proportion to our redemptive suffering (1 Pt 4:13). In hope, sufferings don't crush us but strengthen us (see Rm 5:3-5). Hope helps us to be free and unmanipulated by the threat of suffering. Hope energizes us and frees us from being paralyzed by fear. "In hope we were saved. But hope is not hope if its object is seen; how is it possible for one to hope for what he sees? And hoping for what we cannot see means awaiting it with patient endurance" (Rm 8:24-25). "Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He Who in His great mercy gave us new birth; a birth unto hope" (1 Pt 1:3).

Prayer: Father, may my hope overshadow my sufferings.

Promise: "What does the reign of God resemble? To what shall I liken it? It is like mustard seed which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a large shrub and the birds of the air nested in its branches." —Lk 13:18-19

Praise: The Horton family surrounded their dying grandmother with rosaries, prayer, confidence, and peace as she received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick hours before her death. "Happy now are the dead who die in the Lord!" (Rv 14:13)

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Meditation: Luke 13:18-21

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part

One Bread, One Body

HOPE CHEST