Posted on 06/12/2014 7:40:24 PM PDT by Salvation
Saint Anthony of Padua,
Priest and Doctor of the Church
Memorial
June 13th
Filippino Lippi
Madonna with Child, Saint Anthony of Padua and a Friar
before 1480 -- Tempera on wood
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Saint Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal as Ferdinand de Bulhoes, he was a Franciscan known for his profound knowledge of theology and for his rhetorical skill. His preachings carried him from the north of Africa to Italy and France. He is known as the Evangelical Doctor because he based all that he said on the texts of the gospels. He died in Padua.
Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003
Collect:
Almighty ever-living God,
who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people
as an outstanding preacher
and an intercessor in their need,
grant that, with his assistance,
as we follow the teachings of the Christian life,
we may know your help in every trial.
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. +Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3d
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Gospel Reading: Luke 10:1-9
After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come. And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
Spanish Prayer:
Oración a San Antonio de Padua
Glorioso San Antonio que por tus
Milagros mereciste tener en tus brazos
Al infante Jesús: intercede de su
Misericordia el favor que
Fervorosament te pido. Tú eres tan
Bondadoso con los pecadores, no te
Fijes en mis faltas. Miro la grandeza y
La gloria del Señor, la salvación de mi
Alma y la necesidad de remediar mis
Aflicciones. Amen.
(Haga su petición)
Related link on the Vatican Website:
Feast Day: June 13
Born: 1195, Lisbon, Portugal
Died: 13 June 1231, Padua
Canonized: 30 May 1232, Spoleto, Italy by Pope Gregory IX
Major Shrine: Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua in Padua, Italy
Patron of: animals; barrenness; Brazil; elderly people; faith in the Blessed Sacrament; fishermen; Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land; harvests; horses; Lisbon; lost articles; lower animals; mail; mariners; American Indians; oppressed people; Padua, Italy; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; sailors; seekers of lost articles; shipwrecks; starvation; sterility; swineherds; Tigua Indians; travel hostesses; travellers; watermen
St. Anthony of Padua
Feast Day: June 13
Born: 1195 :: Died: 1231
This very popular saint was born at Lisbon in Portugal in a wealthy family. He was baptized and named "Ferdinand." His parents wanted him to be a great nobleman but when Anthony grew up he wanted to become a priest.
He received an excellent education from the Augustinian friars and joined the order. When he was twenty-five, his life took an exciting turn. He heard about how some Franciscans - St. Berard and his companions had been martyred by the Moors in Morocco for their faith in Jesus.
From then on, Ferdinand felt a strong desire to die for Christ and he joined the Franciscans. This order was very new. St. Francis himself was still alive. Ferdinand took the name "Anthony." He went off to Africa to preach to the Moors but he soon became so sick that he had to return to Italy.
The other Franciscan friars had no idea how brilliant and talented Anthony was or of how much education he had received. He never spoke about himself. So the Franciscan superiors assigned him to a quiet friary in Italy. There he washed pots and pans without complaint.
One day, at a large gathering of priests, when the speaker failed to arrive, Anthony was forced to preach. He preached such a marvelous sermon that everyone who heard him was most impressed. From then on, until he died nine years later, St. Anthony preached all over Italy and France. He was so popular that people even closed their stores to go to hear him.
St. Anthony died at Arcella, near Padua, Italy, on June 13, 1231 when he was just thirty-six. After he died, people often prayed to St. Anthony in times of physical as well as spiritual needs and many miracles have taken place through the intercession of St. Anthony. That is why he is called the "wonder-worker."
The statue of St. Anthony shows him with Baby Jesus because Baby Jesus appeared to him. Other pictures show St. Anthony holding a bible. This is because he knew, loved and preached the Word of God so well. In fact, St. Anthony was so well educated especially in Sacred Scripture that Pope Pius XII proclaimed him the "Evangelical Doctor," or Doctor of Sacred Scripture.
Reflection: "Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak." - sermon by St. Anthony
June 13 - St. Anthony of Padua, Confessor (Dom Guéranger) (Catholic Caucus)
ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA1195-1231 A.D.
Malleus Haereticorum - St. Anthony of Padua
In Pakistan Muslims and Protestants celebrate Saint Anthony as well
Italian Studio Films 1st Movie on St. Anthony of Padua - "Anthony, God's Warrior"
The Marian Devotion of St. Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony of Padua: Hammer of Heretics and Ark of the New Covenant and Miracle Worker
June 13, Feast of St Anthony of Padua, Confessor and Doctor
St Anthony of Padua - Confessor
The Life Of Saint Anthony Of Padua
Matthew | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
Matthew 5 |
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27. | You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. | Audistis quia dictum est antiquis : Non mchaberis. | ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη ου μοιχευσεις |
28. | But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. | Ego autem dico vobis : quia omnis qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam mchatus est eam in corde suo. | εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο βλεπων γυναικα προς το επιθυμησαι αυτην ηδη εμοιχευσεν αυτην εν τη καρδια αυτου |
29. | And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell. | Quod si oculus tuus dexter scandalizat te, erue eum, et projice abs te : expedit enim tibi ut pereat unum membrorum tuorum, quam totus corpus tuum mittatur in gehennam. | ει δε ο οφθαλμος σου ο δεξιος σκανδαλιζει σε εξελε αυτον και βαλε απο σου συμφερει γαρ σοι ινα αποληται εν των μελων σου και μη ολον το σωμα σου βληθη εις γεενναν |
30. | And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell. | Et si dextra manus tua scandalizat te, abscide eam, et projice abs te : expedit enim tibi ut pereat unum membrorum tuorum, quam totum corpus tuum eat in gehennam. | και ει η δεξια σου χειρ σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτην και βαλε απο σου συμφερει γαρ σοι ινα αποληται εν των μελων σου και μη ολον το σωμα σου βληθη εις γεενναν |
31. | And it hath been said, Whoseoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce. | Dictum est autem : Quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam, det ei libellum repudii. | ερρεθη δε οτι ος αν απολυση την γυναικα αυτου δοτω αυτη αποστασιον |
32. | But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. | Ego autem dico vobis : quia omnis qui dimiserit uxorem suam, excepta fornicationis causa, facit eam mchari : et qui dimissam duxerit, adulterat. | εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι ος αν απολυση την γυναικα αυτου παρεκτος λογου πορνειας ποιει αυτην μοιχασθαι και ος εαν απολελυμενην γαμηση μοιχαται |
Friday, June 13
Liturgical Color: White
Today is the Memorial of St Anthony of
Padua, Doctor of the Church. Known for his
preaching and fervent battles against false
teachings, St Anthony was called the
"Hammer of the Heretics." He continued
spreading the Gospel until his death in 1231.
Lord, please send us another “Hammer of the Heretics!”
Day 180 - Are all people called to marriage? // How is a Church wedding celebrated?
Please Note: We accidentally sent you a sneak peek of Day 182 yesterday. We dare you not to read it yet! :)
Why is marriage indissoluble?
Not everyone is called to marriage. Even people who live alone can have fulfillment in life. To many of them Jesus shows a special way; he invites them to remain unmarried "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 19:12). Many people who live alone suffer from loneliness, which they perceive only as a lack and a disadvantage. Yet a person who does not have to care for a spouse or a family also enjoys freedom and independence and has time to do meaningful and important things that a married person would never get to. Maybe it is God's will that he should care for people for whom no one else cares. Not uncommonly God even calls such a person to be especially close to him. This is the case when one senses a desire to renounce marriage "for the sake of the kingdom of heaven". Of course a Christian vocation can never mean despising marriage or sexuality. Voluntary celibacy can be practiced only in love and out of love, as a powerful sign that God is more important than anything else. The unmarried person renounces a sexual relationship but not love; full of longing he goes out to meet Christ the bridegroom who is coming (Mt 25:6).
How is a Church wedding celebrated?
As a rule a wedding must take place publicly. The bride and bridegroom are questioned as to their intention to marry. The priest or the deacon blesses their rings. The bride and bridegroom exchange rings and mutually promise "to be true in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health" and vow to each other: "I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." The celebrant ratifies the wedding and administers the blessing. Here are some excerpts from one form of the Rite of Catholic Marriage: Celebrant: N. and N., have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?" Bride and bridegroom: "Yes." Celebrant: "Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?" Bride and bridegroom: "Yes." The celebrant then asks the bride and bridegroom together the following questions. "Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?" Bride and bridegroom: "Yes." (YOUCAT Questions 265-266)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (1621-1624) and other references here.
Part 2: The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (1066 - 1690)
Section 2: The Seven Sacraments of the Church (1210 - 1690)
Chapter 3: The Sacraments at the Service of Communion (1533 - 1666)
Article 7: The Sacrament of Matrimony (1601 - 1666)
II. THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE ⇡
In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments with the Paschal mystery of Christ.120 In the Eucharist the memorial of the New Covenant is realized, the New Covenant in which Christ has united himself for ever to the Church, his beloved bride for whom he gave himself up.121 It is therefore fitting that the spouses should seal their consent to give themselves to each other through the offering of their own lives by uniting it to the offering of Christ for his Church made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice, and by receiving the Eucharist so that, communicating in the same Body and the same Blood of Christ, they may form but "one body" in Christ.122
120.
Cf. SC 61.
121.
Cf. LG 6.
122.
Cf. 1 Cor 10:17.
"Inasmuch as it is a sacramental action of sanctification, the liturgical celebration of marriage ... must be, per se, valid, worthy, and fruitful."123 It is therefore appropriate for the bride and groom to prepare themselves for the celebration of their marriage by receiving the sacrament of penance.
123.
FC 67.
According to Latin tradition, the spouses as ministers of Christ's grace mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church. In the tradition of the Eastern Churches, the priests (bishops or presbyters) are witnesses to the mutual consent given by the spouses,124 but for the validity of the sacrament their blessing is also necessary.125
124.
Cf. CCEO, can. 817.
125.
Cf. CCEO, can. 828.
The various liturgies abound in prayers of blessing and epiclesis asking God's grace and blessing on the new couple, especially the bride. In the epiclesis of this sacrament the spouses receive the Holy Spirit as the communion of love of Christ and the Church.126 The Holy Spirit is the seal of their covenant, the ever available source of their love and the strength to renew their fidelity.
126.
Cf. Eph 5:32.
Daily Readings for:June 13, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who gave Saint Anthony of Padua to your people as an outstanding preacher and an intercessor in their need, grant that, with his assistance, as we follow the teachings of the Christian life, we may know your help in every trial. 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
ACTIVITIES
o Can Catholic Parents Thwart a Religious Vocation?
o Considerations for Parents of Small Families
o Religion in the Home for Preschool: June
PRAYERS
o Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
o Unfailing Prayer to Saint Anthony
o Litany of St. Anthony of Padua
o Blessing of Lilies on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua
LIBRARY
o Saint Anthony of Padua | Pope Benedict XVI
· Ordinary Time: June 13th
· Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest & doctor
Old Calendar: St. Anthony of Padua
St. Anthony was born at Lisbon, Portugal. He bacame a canon regular and then a Franciscan preaching the Gospel everywhere in Portugal and Italy. Both as a theologian and as a popular preacher he fought vigorously against heresy. His preaching was inspired by the love of God and of souls and had an extraordinary power of conviction; it was filled with the penetrating power of the Bible. Pope Gregory IX, who heard him preach, called him during his lifetime the Arca Testamenti, meaning "the living repository of the Holy Scriptures" and Pope Pius XII, when he proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church, declared that he based all that he said on the texts of the Gospels, and could justly be called the Evangelical Doctor. St. Anthony lived for a time in France, but chiefly in Italy, and died at Padua in 1231 at age 36, with the reputation of great sanctity. From the day of his death innumerable miracles caused the faithful to invoke him as a wonderworker of untiring benevolence.
St. Anthony
Anthony is one of the most popular saints in the Church. He is the patron of lost things and numerous other causes. In Brazil, he is considered a general of the army; he is the patron of the poor and has been recognized as a wonderworker from the moment of his death.
He was born in Portugal and entered the Augustinian monastery of Sao Vicente in Lisbon when he was fifteen. When news of the Franciscan martyrs in Morocco reached him, he joined the Franciscans at Coimbra. At his own request, he was sent as a missionary to Morocco, but he became ill, and on his return journey his boat was driven off course and he landed in Sicily. He took part in St. Francis' famous Chapter of Mats in 1221 and was assigned to the Franciscan province of Romagna.
He became a preacher by accident. When a scheduled preacher did not show up for an ordination ceremony at Forli, the Franciscan superior told Anthony to go into the pulpit. His eloquence stirred everyone, and he was assigned to preach throughout northern Italy. Because of his success in converting heretics, he was called the "Hammer of Heretics" and because of his learning, St. Francis himself appointed him a teacher of theology. St. Anthony of Padua was such a forceful preacher that shops closed when he came to town, and people stayed all night in church to be present for his sermons. He became associated with Padua because he made this city his residence and the center of his great preaching mission.
After a series of Lenten sermons in 1231, Anthony's strength gave out and he went into seclusion at Camposanpiero but soon had to be carried back to Padua. He did not reach the city but was taken to the Poor Clare convent at Arcella, where he died. He was thirty-six years old, and the whole city of Padua turned out in mourning for his passing.
He was canonized within a year of his death and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946.
Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens
Patron: Against shipwrecks; against starvation; against starving; American Indians; amputees; animals; asses; barrenness; boatmen; Brazil; diocese of Beaumont, Texas; domestic animals; elderly people; expectant mothers; faith in the Blessed Sacrament; Ferrazzano, Italy; fishermen; harvests; horses; Lisbon, Portugal; lost articles; lower animals; mail; mariners; oppressed people; Padua, Italy; paupers; poor people; Portugal; pregnant women; sailors; seekers of lost articles; shipwrecks; starvation; starving people; sterility; swineherds; Tigua Indians; travel hostesses; travellers; watermen.
Symbols: The Holy Child on a book; lilies; fishes; flask and crucifix, mule; money chest and human heart; heart (symbol of Christian charity); fire (for religious fervor); portrayed holding a book, bread, Infant Jesus and or a lily.
Things to Do:
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Anthony’s wealthy family wanted him to be a great nobleman, but for the sake of Christ he became a poor Franciscan. Priest.
When the remains of Saint Berard and his companions, the first Franciscan martyrs, were brought to be buried in his church, Anthony was moved to leave his order, enter the Friars Minor, and go to Morocco to evangelize. Shipwrecked at Sicily, he joined some other brothers who were going to the church in Portiuncula. Lived in a cave at San Paolo leaving only to attend Mass and sweep the nearby monastery. One day when a scheduled speaker failed to appear, the brothers pressed him into speaking. He impressed them so that he was thereafter constantly travelling, evangelizing, preaching, and teaching theology through Italy and France.
A gifted speaker, he attracted crowds everywhere he went, speaking in multiple tongues; legend says that even the fish loved to listen. Miracle worker. One of the most beloved of saints, his images and statues are found everywhere – though none of them portray him as a heavy-set man, which some reports claim he was. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946.
One source of the well-known patronage for the recovery of lost objects comes from a legend that, long after Anthony’s death, his old prayer book was kept as a treasured relic, and one day it disappeared. People prayed for help in finding the lost item, a novice found it and returned it; he later admitted that he had “borrowed” the book and returned it after receiving a vision of an angry Anthony.
Born
Additional Information
Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
There was a tiny whispering sound. (1 Kings 19:12)
Israel was at a critical juncture in its history, and Elijah had retreated to Mount Horeb to hear the voice of the Lord. First a strong wind, then an earthquake, then a fire passed before Elijah—all very impressive manifestations of God’s power, each one seeming to bear the kind of majesty that befitted Israel’s need. But God was in none of them. Instead, Elijah heard the Lord through a “tiny whispering sound” that was so intimate and so intense it made the prophet hide his face in his cloak (1 Kings 19:13).
How do you know when God is speaking to you and when you’re just thinking good thoughts? We may think that heroes like Elijah found it easy to hear God, but history shows that they were ordinary people just like us. They, too, had to learn the art of discernment. Was God speaking in the whirlwind? Or was that just the prophet’s emotional turmoil? Was that faint whisper in the back of her mind the Holy Spirit? Or was it just wishful thinking? Only trial and error could sharpen their skills.
The same is true for us. God speaks to us in many different ways: in the events of the day, in the Scriptures and teachings of the Church, in the words and actions of friends, and, yes, in powerful manifestations of his presence. In all of these situations, God wants us to learn how to discern the voice of his Spirit.
So how do we begin? It’s really quite simple. Jesus once said, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:16). This can apply to our own thoughts as well as to other people. For instance, if a thought in your mind helps you love God more or be a little kinder to someone, it’s probably from the Lord. But if something makes you anxious, fearful, angry, or resentful, it’s probably not God speaking to you.
God wants to speak to you. In fact, he’s probably trying to tell you something right now. Take a moment to quiet your heart and listen.
“Holy Spirit, open the ears of my heart. Teach me to hear you clearly, so that I may follow your plan for my life.”
Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14; Matthew 5:27-32
SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA: Priest and Doctor [1195-1231]
Memorial: June 13
The Gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Anthonys life. Over and over again God called him to something new in His plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrificing to serve his Lord Jesus more completely.
His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later, when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the town where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus Himself: those who die for the Good News.
So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving his goal. He returned to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.
The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving Him in poverty, chastity and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthonys sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirits power to give people words.
Recognized as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Again he was called from that post to preach to the heretics, to use his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled.
COMMENT: Anthony should be patron of those who find their lives completely uprooted and set in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints, he is a perfect example of turning ones life completely over to Christ. God did with Anthony as God pleased and what God pleased was a life of spiritual power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He whom popular devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects found himself by losing himself totally to the providence of God.
QUOTE: In his Sermons, Anthony says: The saints are like the stars. In His providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ.
SOUCE: Leonard Foley, OFM (Editor), SAINT OF THE DAY, Revised Edition, Cincinnati, Ohio: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1990, pages 132-133.
Daily Marriage Tip for June 13, 2014:
(Readers Tip) Choose your battles. Every little thing isnt worth an argument.
Betake thyself to the Church
Friday, 13 June 2014 06:24
This morning at Matins, in his homily on Luke 5, Saint Ambrose said:
An Example for Our Imitation
It was no chance occurence, this healing of the paralytic, nor is its meaning limited to what actually took place at the time. The Lord healed him, not because he was asked to, but to set an example. He showed forth this example so that others might imitate it. . . .
Made Whole Again
First of all, as I have said before, every sick man ought to ask for prayers to be offered for his recovery, so that, by means of these prayers, the weakened frame of our mortal life and the limping steps of our bodily movements may be made whole again by the healing power of the celestial word.
Men Able to Help the Sick in Mind
Therefore there should be men who are able to help the sick in mind, so that when the soul is depressed by the torpor of bodily weakness, these men can rouse it again to higher things. By their aid the sick man can easily be brought and laid before Jesus, and be found worthy of the Lord’s glance. For the Lord does look upon those that are lowly: “For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden” (Luke 2:48).
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee”. Great is the Lord, who, for the merits of some, forgives others, who tries some, and forgives the trespasses of others. Why should not your fellow–Christian, O man, have influence with you, if he has the right to intercede and obtain mercy from God?
The Prayer of the Church
O thou who condemnest, learn to forgive; thou who art sick, to pray! If the gravity of thy sins makes thee afraid lest they should not be forgiven thee, betake thyself to the Church. She will pray on thy behalf, and God will pardon, as he looks on her, what he might deny thee.
A Clean Heart 2014-06-13 |
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June 13, 2014
Remember King David’s affair with Bathsheba? It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (2 Sam 11:2-4).
Looking with lust is adultery in the heart. Yet many people today have not realized that looking with lust has the capacity to stir the heart’s desire and lead to the act of adultery. It is for this reason that Jesus forbids not just the act of adultery but also the desire for it. ‘I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mt 5:28). Indeed, the consequences of lust is more destructive: evil thoughts, fornication, covetousness, wickedness, adultery, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, infidelity, divorce, foolishness, even murder. Yet many people find lust not a serious matter but keep the lustful feelings in themselves and dismiss them as not really threatening. But sooner or later, we have to deal with them for these impure desires will cast a shadow over us, contaminating our relationships, and even becoming the darkened lenses through which we view the whole world.
So what should we do? Jesus proposes a radical remedy. “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body thrown into hell…” Your eye and your hand – if they’re the cause of sin, get rid of them. Jesus obviously does not mean that we should physically mutilate ourselves, but that we should fight hard without making any concession. He is saying that we need to be firm with sin in our life. Tough on sin, tough on the causes of sin. So if you use your eyes to glimpse the magazine covers in the newsagents, act as if you were blind and look away at something else. Avoid them completely! If your hand is clicking on those websites, then stop clicking there! Cut it right out of your life. Don’t play with temptation; don’t toy with sin – you’re more vulnerable and weak than you imagine.
Jesus is very clear about asking us to stay pure in life. We are made in God’s image, and we are made to love as purely as he does. Living a pure lifestyle means guarding our minds and hearts. To be assured of salvation one must not only keep from sinning but must also shun situations that may lead one to sin.
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