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From: Wisdom 18:6-9

[6] That night was made known beforehand to our fathers,
so that they might rejoice in sure knowledge of the oaths in which they trusted.
[7] The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies were
expected by thy people.
[8] For by the same means by which thou didst punish our enemies thou didst
call us to thyself and glorify us.
[9] For in secret the holy children of good men offered sacrifices,
and with one accord agreed to the divine law,
that the saints would share alike the same things,
both blessings and dangers;
and already they were singing the praises of the fathers.

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

18:5-19:21. The book of Wisdom closes with a section devoted to the night of the
Passover, the culminating moment of God’s actions in the salvation history of his
people. In the light of that situation the sacred writer reviews the wondrous events
that took place during the Exodus.

19:5-9. Once again a contrast is drawn between the severe way God dealt with
the Egyptians and his kindness towards the Israelites; there now takes place an
exceptionally important event â€“ the Passover. The Egyptians had decreed that
all the first-born Hebrew males should be put to death (cf. Ex 1:15-22). To es-
cape this fate, Moses, a newborn child, is left out (v. 5) on the waters of the Nile
in a basket and rescued by the pharaoh’s daughter (Ex 2:1-10). With the law of
retaliation as a background, the crime committed by the Egyptians must be pun-
ished by the death of their own first-born, “at midnight” (Ex 2:29) and by the later
destruction in the Red Sea of those sent to pursue the Israelites (Ex 14:26-29).

On the Passover night, two contrasting things happen: the first-born of the Egyp-
tians are smitten, which forces the pharaoh to let the Hebrews leave forthwith,
thereby obtaining the deliverance promised to their forebears (cf. Gen 15:13-14)
and to Moses (Ex 11:4-7). But on the very same night, the Hebrews, “the holy
children of good men” (v. 9) celebrate the Passover meal in their houses, as a
festive sacrifice, all of them committing themselves to share both “blessings
and dangers”; in this way they act as a people consecrated to the Lord and
sing “the praises of the fathers” (v. 9). In due course, these original hymns came
to form the Hallel, a group of psalms that were recited on Passover night and on
the great feast-days (cf. Ps 113-118) â€“ hymns that Jesus will recite with his di-
sciples at the Last Supper (cf. Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26).

*********************************************************************************************
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.

From: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

The Good Example of the Patriarchs

[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not
seen. [2] For by it the men of old received divine approval.

[8] By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he
was to receive as an inheritance and he went out, not knowing where he was to
go. [9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living
in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. [10] For he
looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is
God. [11] By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was
past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. [12] There-
fore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many
as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

[13] These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having
seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were stran-
gers and exiles on the earth. [14] For people who speak thus make it clear that
they are seeking a homeland. [15] If they had been thinking of that land from
which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] But
as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is
not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

[17] By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had
received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, [18] of whom it was
said, “Through Isaac shall your descendants be named.” [19] He considered
that God was able to raise men even from the dead; hence he did receive him
back, and this was a symbol.

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

1. Although the text does not aim to provide a precise definition of faith, it does
in fact very clearly describe the essence of that virtue, linking it to hope in future
things and to certainty concerning supernatural truths. By means of faith, the
believer acquires certainty concerning God’s promises to man, and a firm convic-
tion that he will obtain access to heaven. The Latin translates as “substantia”
the word the RSV translates as “assurance”; “substantia”, which literally means
“that which underlies”, here refers to the solid basis provided by hope.

This verse indicates that faith, which is a type of knowledge, is different from
other types of human knowledge. Thus, man can know things by direct evidence,
by reasoned proof or by someone else’s testimony. As regards knowledge based
on information provided by someone else, that is, knowledge based on faith, we
can distinguish two types—human faith, when it is another human being whose
word one relies on (as in the case of pupil/teacher, child/parent), and supernatu-
ral faith (when the testimony comes from God himself, who is Supreme Truth).
In this latter case the knowledge provided is most certain.

However, the object of supernatural faith, that is, what one believes in (God and
the unchanging decrees of his will), is not something that is self-evident to man,
nor is it something that can be attained by the use of unaided reason.That is why
it is necessary for God himself to bear witness to what he reveals. Faith, then, is
certain knowledge, but it is knowledge of things which are not self-evident, things
which one does not see but which one can hope for.

The verse also says that faith is “conviction” concerning things not seen. It is
therefore different from opinion, suspicion or doubt (none of which implies cer-
tainty). By saying that it has to do with things unseen, it is distinguishing faith
from knowledge and intuitive cognition (cf. “Summa Theologiae”, II-II, q. 4,a. 1).

Summing up, we can say that “when God makes a revelation, we are obliged to
render by faith a full submission of intellect and will. The faith, however, which is
the beginning of human salvation, the Catholic Church asserts to be a superna-
tural virtue whereby, with the inspiration and help of God’s grace, we believe that
what he has revealed is true—not because its intrinsic truth is seen by the natural
light of reason, but because of the authority of God who reveals it, of God who
can neither deceive nor be deceived” (Vatican I, “Dei Filius”, chap. 3).

It is, therefore, a feature of faith that it makes as certain about things which are
not self-evident. That is why in order to believe one must want to believe, why the
act of believing is always free and meritorious. However, faith can, with God’s help,
reach a certainty greater than any proof can provide. ‘This faith”, St John of Avila
comments, “is not based on reasons [...]; for when a person believes on the ba-
sis of reasons, he is not believing in such a way that he is totally convinced, with-
out any doubt or scruple whatever. But the faith which God infuses is grounded
on divine Truth, and it causes one to believe more firmly than if one saw it with
one’s own eyes, and touched it with one’s hands—and to believe more certainly
than he who believes that four is greater than three, the sort of thing that is so ob-
vious that the mind never hesitates a moment, nor can it even if it wants to” (”Au-
di, Filia”, chap. 43).

The faith which God gives a person—supernatural faith—is necessarily the point
of departure for hope and charity: it is what is usually called “living faith”.

When one lives with this kind of faith it is easy to see that the three “theological”
virtues (faith, hope and charity) are bound up with one another. Faith and hope
lead a person to unite himself to God as the source from which all good things
flow; charity unites us to God directly, by loving affection, because God is the
supreme Good. Faith is as it were the first step: it means accepting what God
says as true.

We then unite ourselves to him through hope, insofar as we rely on God’s help
to attain beatitude. The goal of this process is charity, the fullness of which is
eternal possession of God, the Supreme Good. “Let us grow in hope, thereby
strengthening our faith which is truly ‘the assurance of things hoped for, the con-
viction of things not seen’ (Heb 11:1).

Let us grow in this virtue, let us beg our Lord to increase his charity in us; after
all, one can only really trust what one loves with all one’s might. And it is certain-
ly worthwhile to love our Lord” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 220).

If hope in general is the conviction of being able to obtain something worthwhile in
the future, something difficult to obtain, theological hope is the conviction of being
able, with the help of God, to attain heaven. And faith is precisely what provides
certain knowledge of those two truths—that heaven is our goal and that God wants
to help us to get there (cf. “Summa Theologiae”, II-II, q. l7, a 5 and 7). Therefore,
nothing should dishearten us on this road to our ultimate goal because we put our
trust in “three truths: God is all-powerful, God has a boundless love for me, God is
faithful to his promises. And it is he, the God of mercies, who enkindles this trust
within me, so that I never feel lonely or useless or abandoned but, rather, involved
in a plan of salvation which will one day reach its goal in Paradise” (John Paul I,
“Address”, 20 September 1978).

8. Abraham, “our father in faith”, is the greatest example, in the Old Testament,
of faith in God (cf. Gen 12:1-4; Rom 4:1ff; Gal 3:6-9; Heb 6:13ff). It is not surpri-
sing that the author pauses to dwell on the faithful life of the father of the chosen
people. Putting all his trust in the divine word, Abraham gave up all the security
and comfort of his native land in Ur of the Chaldeans, to set out for a distant and
unknown place, the land of Canaan, which God had promised to give his descen-
dants. “Neither the love for his homeland nor the pleasure of his neighbors’ com-
pany nor the comforts of his father’s home were able to weaken his resolve. He
set out courageously and ardently to where God willed to lead him. What self-
abasement and abandonment! One cannot love God perfectly unless one re-
nounces all attachment to perishable things” (St Francis de Sales, “Treatise on
the Love of God”, book 10). Abraham symbolizes the need for detachment if one
is to obtain redemption and to be a good servant of God and of others.

“Never forget that Christ cannot be reached without sacrifice. You have to get rid
of everything that gets in the way [...]. You have to do the same in this battle for
the glory of God, in this struggle of love and peace by which we are trying to
spread Christ’s kingdom. In order to serve the Church, the Pope and all souls,
you must be ready to give up everything superfluous” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of
God”, 196).

9-10. Abraham, and his son Isaac and grandson Jacob like him, far from settling
down comfortably in a permanent place, lived a nomadic existence a stranger in
a foreign land (cf. Gen 23:4). By faith the patriarch “looked forward to the city
which has foundations”, the city God would build. Instead of the provisionality of
tents and the weak foundations of cities built by men, a heavenly city was being
established, eternal and permanent, built by God on solid foundations, which Ab-
raham hoped one day to possess. The promised land was a symbol of the defi-
itive fatherland to which God called the father of Israel. There was even a late
Jewish tradition which spoke of Abraham being given a vision of the heavenly Je-
rusalem after he ratified his covenant with God.

Christians live in the world by the will of God, and they love the world, but at the
same time they realize they should not settle down in it as if it were the final goal
of their lives. “They are residents at home in their own country but their behavior
is more like that of people who are passing through [...]. For them any foreign
country is a homeland, and any homeland a foreign country” (”Letter to Diogne-
tus”, V, 5).

11-12. Sarah, like Abraham, was very elderly when God announced that she was
going to have a child. At first she was puzzled and even sarcastically skeptical
(cf. Gen 18:9f), but soon her attitude changed into a faith which God rewarded by
her conceiving Isaac. The faith of Sarah and her husband can be said to exceed
that of the earlier patriarchs because what God promised could come true only
by means of a miracle, since Abraham, like his wife, was old and incapable of
begetting children. That is why it says that from one man “and him as good as
dead” innumerable descendants were born. God is generous in rewarding man’s
faith. “’Si habueritis fidem, sicut granum sinapis”! —If your faith were the size of
a mustard seed!...’

“What promises are contained in this exclamation of the Master!” (St. J. Escriva,
“The Way”, 585).

The conception of Isaac is also a “type” of that of Christ. “All the miraculous
conceptions which occurred in the Old Testament were prefigurements of the
greatest of all miracles, the Incarnation of the Word. It was fitting that his birth
from a Virgin should be prefigured by other births so as to prepare people’s minds
for faith. But there is this difference: God miraculously enabled Sarah to conceive
by means of human seed, whereas the blessed Virgin conceived without it” (St
Thomas Aquinas, “Commentary on Heb.”, 11, 3).

13-16. After speaking about the faith of Abel, Noah and Abraham, the sacred
writer goes on to give a brief panoramic account of the entire history of the Pa-
triarchs and the Exodus. It does not deal with events in chronological order. By
recalling that the Patriarchs left their own country to journey abroad “seeking a
homeland”, he brings in the exodus from Egypt. Between Abraham, who left Ur
to travel to the land of Canaan, and the people of Israel, who left Egypt for the
promised land, there is an obvious parallel, which is even more marked if one
bears in mind that neither Abraham nor the Israelites led by Moses were des-
tined to take possession of the land: that was reserved to their descendants.
The only thing Abraham managed to do was to purchase the cave of Machpelah,
near Hebron, and the land immediately around it, for which he had to pay a very
high price in silver. The cave became the burial ground of Sarah, Abraham him-
self, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. But Abraham publicly admitted he was
“a stranger and a sojourner” in Canaan when he bought the cave from the Hittites
(Gen 23:4). Nor did the Hebrews of Moses’ generation manage to enter Canaan.
The nearest they got to it was descriptions brought by their spies; and Moses
himself was only able to view it from a distance, from Mount Nebo, just prior to
his death (cf. Deut 32:49-52; 33:1-4).

Abraham, and later Isaac and Jacob (who led a nomadic existence in Canaan),
like the Israelites in the wilderness, prefigure Christians, who are also in search
of a land of their own, a better homeland, that is, heaven (cf. Heb 13:14). It cer-
tainly is moving to recall the Patriarchs and the Exodus, and very helpful to the
faith and hope of Christians amid the difficulties they encounter in this world.
Those men of faith are said to have “seen” what was promised: this may be a
reference to some special grace God gave them, as was the case with Abra-
ham (cf. Jn 8:56), or else to the intuitive vision of supernatural things which faith
provides (cf. “Commentary on Heb, ad loc.”). “They greeted it from afar,” happy
to do so. “They greeted the promises and rejoiced,” St John Chrysostom says,
“for they already had such faith in those promises that they could make signs
of greeting. This comparison is taken from seafaring: when from afar sailors es-
py the city they are making for, even before entering the port they cheer in gree-
ting” (”Hom. on Heb.”, 23).

The Patriarchs’ attitude was a true indication of their faith in a future life, for, as
St Thomas points out, by describing themselves as strangers and sojourners
(Gen 23:4; 47:9; cf. Deut 26:5) they showed they were heading towards their
homeland, the heavenly Jerusalem. They did not set their hearts on an earthly
homeland, or on their parental homestead, for if so they could in fact have cho-
sen to return to it (cf. “Commentary on Heb, ad loc.”). Thus the promises made
to them found their fulfillment not in something earthly but in the eternity of hea-
ven: “Therefore God is not ashamed” to be called the God of Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob: seeing their faith and fidelity, he overlooked their sins and faults. And
he is disposed to act in the same way towards Christians.

In vv. 14 and 16, in the Greek text and the New Vulgate — and in the RSV — the
verbs are in the present tense, as distinct from the past (aorist) used generally
in this passage. This is because the whole paragraph is recalling the life of the
Patriarchs, but with the intention of stressing that their faith is an example to all
generations. What we have here is a mixture of history and sapiential writing,
using verbs which indicate that the action—or at least some of its effects — is
still going on.

17-19. It is very difficult for us to imagine what Abraham thought when God asked
him to sacrifice Isaac, the son of the promise, his only son, in the mountains of
Moriah (cf. Gen 22:2). The Old Testament shows how resolute Abraham was, his
absolute docility, his serenity even in the midst of suffering his trust in God (cf.
Gen 22:1-18). This is revealed in the touching conversation between the Patriarch
and his son, when Isaac asks him where is the lamb for the offering and Abraham
replies, “God will provide himself with the lamb for a burnt offering, my son”. In St
Paul’s epistles generally Abraham’s faith is proposed as an example (cf. Gal 3:7;
Rom 4:3, 11-12; 4:17-22); but that was in the context of his faith in God’s promise
that he would have a multitude of descendants. Here, however, the Patriarch’s
faith is to be seen in the way he approaches a commandment which seems to
negate that promise: how could God possibly ask him to sacrifice his only son?
The answer lies in the fact that God knew that Abraham had faith in his ability to
bring the dead back to life.

Abraham’s obedience to God in this episode is the most striking proof of his faith.
Here most of all the Patriarch “believed against hope [...]; he grew strong in his
faith as he gave glory to God” (Rom 4:18, 21). “The Patriarch hears words which
deny the promise; he hears the very author of the promise contradict himself, but
he is not dismayed; he is going to obey as if everything were completely consis-
tent. And in fact the two things were compatible: the two things God said were
contradictory as far as human logic was concerned; but faith brought them into
agreement [...].

“God tested Abraham’s faith. Did he not know the strength and integrity of that
great man? Undoubtedly he did, very well. Why, then, did he put them to the
test? He did not do it to prove to himself the Patriarch’s virtue; he did it to show
the world how excellent Abraham was. The Apostle, moreover, shows the He-
brews one of the causes of our temptations, so that anyone who is afflicted
should not think that God has abandoned him” (”Hom. on Heb.”, 25). we know,
moreover, that precisely on account of Abraham’s generosity and faith, God re-
newed his promise to him, now ratifying it with an oath (cf. Gen 22:16; Heb 6:
13-18).

19. “Hence he did receive him back, and this was a symbol”: after offering Isaac,
Abraham was given him back, because God stepped in before Isaac was sacri-
ficed (Gen 22:11-12). And he received him as “a symbol” (literally, as “a para-
ble”). Tradition has always seen the sacrifice of Isaac, the only Son, as a sym-
bol of the redemptive sacrifice of Christ; and, particularly, it has seen God’s in-
tervention on Mount Moriah as a symbol of the Resurrection. “He saw it as a
symbol,” Theodoret comments, “that is, as a prefigurement of the Resurrection.
(Isaac) was brought to death by his father’s will, and then brought back to life by
the voice which prevented his death. All this amounts to a prefiguring of the pas-
sion of the Savior, and that is why the Lord told the Jews, ‘Your father Abraham
rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad’ (Jn 8:56)” (”Interpre-
tatio Ep. ad Haebreos, ad loc.”).

Origen, a writer of Christian antiquity, reflects this tradition very beautifully when
he says that the sacrifice of Isaac helps us to understand the mystery of Redemp-
tion. “Isaac carrying the wood for the burnt offering is a symbol of Christ, who car-
ried his (own) cross. But it is also the function of the priest to carry the wood for
the burnt offering [...]. Christ is the Word of God, but the Word made flesh. There-
fore, there is in Christ an element which comes from above and another which
comes from human nature, which he took on in the womb of the Virgin. This is
why Christ experiences suffering: he suffers in the flesh, and he dies, but what
suffers death is the flesh, and the ram is a figure of this, as St John said, ‘Behold
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (Jn 1:29) [...]. Christ is at
one and the same time victim and high priest. Thus, according to the spirit he of-
fers the victim to his father, according to his flesh, he himself is offered on the al-
tar of the cross” (”Homilies on Genesis”, 8, 6 and 9).

For all these reasons, Eucharistic Prayer I links Christ’s sacrifice with those of
Abel, Isaac and Melchizedek.

*********************************************************************************************
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.

From: Luke 12:32-48

Trust in God’s Fatherly Providence (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [32] “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s
good pleasure to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell your possessions, and give
alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in
the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
[34] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The Need for Vigilance and the Parable of the Steward (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [35] “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burn-
ing, [36] and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from
the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and
knocks. [37] Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he
comes; truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he
will come and serve them. [39] If he comes in the second watch, or in the third,
and finds them so, blessed are those servants!” [40] You also must be ready;
for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

[41] Peter said, “Lord are you telling this parable for us or for all?” [42] And the
Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set
over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? [43]
Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. [44]
Truly I tell you, he will set him over all his possessions. [45] But if that servant
says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the men-
servants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, [46] the mas-
ter of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an
hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful. [47]
And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act ac-
cording to his will, shall receive a severe beating. [48] But he who did not know,
and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Everyone to whom
much is given, of him much will be required; and of him to whom men commit
much they will demand the more.”

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

33-34. Our Lord concludes this address by insisting on those imperishable goods
to which we should aspire. In this connection the Second Vatican Council con-
cludes its teaching on the universal call to holiness saying: “Therefore all the faith-
ful are invited and obliged to holiness and perfection of their own state of life. Ac-
cordingly let all of them see that they direct their affections rightly, lest they be
hindered in their pursuit of perfect love by the use of worldly things and by an ad-
herence to riches which is contrary to the spirit of evangelical poverty, following
the Apostle’s advice: Let those who use this world not fix their abode in it, for
the form of this world is passing away (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:31)” (”Lumen Gentium”,
42).

“When Holy Scripture refers to the heart, it does not refer to some fleeting senti-
ment of joy or tears. By heart it means the person who directs his whole being,
soul and body, to what he considers his good, as Jesus himself indicated: ‘For
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’ (Matthew 6:21)” (St. J. Es-
criva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 164). Our Lord’s teaching is quite clear: man’s
heart yearns to possess wealth, a good social position, prestigious public or pro-
fessional appointments, which he sees as providing him with security, content-
ment and self-affirmation; however, this kind of treasure involves endless worry
and disappointment, because there is always a danger of losing it. Jesus does
not mean that man should forget about earthly things, but he does teach us that
no created thing should become our “treasure”, our main in life: that should be
God, our Creator and Lord, whom we should love and serve as we go about our
ordinary affairs, putting our hopes on the eternal joy of heaven. See also the note
on Matthew 6:19-21.

[The note on Matthew 6:19-21 states:

19-21. The idea here is very clear: man’s heart yearns for a treasure which will
give him security and happiness. However, every treasure in the form of earthly
goods—wealth, property—becomes a constant source of worry, because there is
always the risk we will lose it or because the effort to protect it is such a strain.

Against this, Jesus teaches us here that our true treasure lies in good works and
an upright life, which will be eternally rewarded by God in Heaven. That indeed is
a treasure which one never loses, a treasure on which Christ’s disciple should put
his heart.

Jesus closes the teaching contained in the preceding verses with a kind of refrain
(verse 21). He is not saying that people should be unconcerned about earthly
things; what He does say is that no created thing can be “the treasure”, the ult-
imate aim, of man. What man should do is make his way to God, sanctify him-
self and give all glory to God, by making right use of the noble things of the earth:
“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Co-
rinthians 10:31; cf. Colossians 3:17).]

35-39. In the preaching of Christ and of the Apostles we are frequently exhorted
to be watchful (cf. Matthew 24:42; 25:13; Mark 14:34) — for one thing, because
the enemy is always on the prowl (cf. 1 Peter 5:8), and also because a person in
love is always awake (cf. Song of Songs 5:2). This watchfulness expresses itself
in a spirit of prayer (cf. Luke 21:36; 1 Peter 4:7) and fortitude in faith (cf. 1 Corin-
thians 16:13). See the note on Matthew 25:1-13.

[The note on Matthew 25:1-13 states:

1-13. The main lesson of this parable has to do with the need to be on the alert:
in practice, this means having the light of faith, which is kept alive with the oil of
charity. Jewish weddings were held in the house of the bride’s father. The virgins
are young unmarried girls, bridesmaids who are in the bride’s house waiting for
the bridegroom to arrive. The parable centers on the attitude one should adopt
up to the time when the bridegroom comes. In other words, it is not enough to
know that one is “inside” the Kingdom, the Church: one has to be on the watch
and be preparing for Christ’s coming by doing good works.

This vigilance should be continuous and unflagging, because the devil is forever
after us, prowling around “like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pe-
ter 5:8). “Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with cha-
rity, watch with good works [...]; make ready the lamps, make sure they do not
go out [...], renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the
Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of His love and bring you into His banquet
room, where your lamp can never be extinguished” (St. Augustine, “Sermon”,
93).]

35. To enable them to do certain kinds of work the Jews used to hitch up the flo-
wing garments they normally wore. “Girding your loins” immediately suggests a
person getting ready for work, for effort, for a journey etc. (cf. Jeremiah 1:17;
Ephesians 6:14; 1 Peter 1:13). Similarly, “having your lamps burning” indicates
the sort of attitude a person should have who is on the watch or is waiting for
someone’s arrival.

40. God has chosen to hide from us the time of our death and the time when the
world will come to an end. Immediately after death everyone undergoes the Parti-
cular Judgment: “just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes
judgment...” (Hebrews 9:27). The end of the world is when the General Judgment
will take place.

41-48. After our Lord’s exhortation to vigilance, St. Peter asks a question (verse
41), the answer to which is the key to understanding this parable. On the one
hand, Jesus emphasizes that we simply do not know exactly when God is going
to ask us to render an account of our life; on the other — answering Peter’s ques-
tion — our Lord explains that His teaching is addressed to every individual. God
will ask everyone to render an account of his doings: everyone has a mission to
fulfill in this life and he has to account for it before the judgment seat of God and
be judged on what he has produced, be it much or little.

“Since we know neither the day nor the hour, we should follow the advice of the
Lord and watch constantly so that, when the single course of our earthly life is
completed (cf. Hebrews 9:27), we may merit to enter with Him into the marriage
feast and be numbered among the blessed (cf. Matthew 25:31-46) and not, like
the wicked and slothful servants (cf. Matthew 25:26), be ordered to depart into
the eternal fire (cf. Matthew 25:41)” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 48).

*********************************************************************************************
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.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading	Wisdom 18:6-9 ©

That night had been foretold to our ancestors, so that,

once they saw what kind of oaths they had put their trust in,

they would joyfully take courage.

This was the expectation of your people,

the saving of the virtuous and the ruin of their enemies;

for by the same act with which you took vengeance on our foes

you made us glorious by calling us to you.

The devout children of worthy men offered sacrifice in secret

and this divine pact they struck with one accord:

that the saints would share the same blessings and dangers alike;

and forthwith they had begun to chant the hymns of the fathers.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32:1,12,18-20,22 ©

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just;

for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

the people he has chosen as his own.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,

on those who hope in his love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

The Lord is our help and our shield.

May your love be upon us, O Lord,

as we place all our hope in you.

Happy are the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

EITHER:

Second reading
Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19 ©

Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended.

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God.

It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.

All these died in faith, before receiving any of the things that had been promised, but they saw them in the far distance and welcomed them, recognising that they were only strangers and nomads on earth. People who use such terms about themselves make it quite plain that they are in search of their real homeland. They can hardly have meant the country they came from, since they had the opportunity to go back to it; but in fact they were longing for a better homeland, their heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, since he has founded the city for them.

It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.

OR:

Alternative Second reading
Hebrews 11:1-2,8-12 ©

Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended.

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. By faith he arrived, as a foreigner, in the Promised Land, and lived there as if in a strange country, with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. They lived there in tents while he looked forward to a city founded, designed and built by God.

It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.

Gospel Acclamation	Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or	Mt24:42 44

Alleluia, alleluia!

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming.

Alleluia!

EITHER:

Gospel	Luke 12:32-48 ©

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.

‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

OR:

Alternative Gospel	Luke 12:35-40 ©

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

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Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

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POPE FRANCIS FOR YEAR OF MERCY GRANTS THAT SSPX PRIESTS CAN VALIDLY ABSOLVE!
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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, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there 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 ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. 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 Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

St. Michael the Archangel

~ 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 the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

August Devotion -- The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person: and as the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.

This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.

On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.

INVOCATIONS

O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.

Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.

ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.

Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."

Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.

Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII

IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.

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

Sacred Heart Of Jesus

Sacred Heart Of Jesus image

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary image

Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen.

....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439

From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power.
Amen. - - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669

The Salutation to the Heart of Jesus and Mary

An Offering of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Novena Prayer to Sacred Heart of Jesus

Prayer to the Wounded Heart of Jesus

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Meditation & Novena Prayer on the Sacred Heart

Beads to the Sacred Heart

Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Daily Offering to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Exaltation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

The Holy Heart of Mary Is, After the Heart of Jesus, the Most Exalted Throne of Divine Love
Let us recollect that God has given us the feast of the most pure Heart of the Blessed Virgin so that we may render on that day all the respect, honor and praise that we possibly can. To enkindle this spirit within us let us consider our motivating obligations.

The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.

This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?

How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?

— St. John Eudes

Today: Immaculate Heart of Mary [DEVOTIONAL]

The Immaculate Heart of Mary [Devotional] Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Saturdays and the Immaculate Heart of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Brown Scapular (Catholic Caucus)
The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)
Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart
Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, AUGUST 22ND
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

August 2016

Pope's Intentions

General Intention: Sports, That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between peoples and may contribute to peace in the world.

Evangelization: Living the Gospel, That Christians may live the Gospel, giving witness to faith, honesty, and love of neighbor.

Daily Gospel Commentary

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

Commentary of the day
Saint Cyprian (c.200-258), Bishop of Carthage and martyr
Treatise on the unity of the Church, 26-27

“You also must be prepared”

      The Lord was looking to our days when he said, "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk 18:8) We see that what he foretold has come to pass. There is no faith in the fear of God, in the law of righteousness, in love, in good works… That which our conscience would fear if it believed, it does not fear because it does not believe at all. If it believed, it would also take heed; and if it took heed, it would be saved.

      Therefore beloved brothers, let us arouse ourselves as much as we can and break the slumber of our listlessness. Let us be watchful to observe and to do the Lord's precepts. Let us be like he himself has bidden us to be, saying, "Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival".

      We ought to be dressed for work, lest, when the day of setting forth comes, it should find us burdened and entangled. Let our light shine in good works, and glow in such a way as to lead us from the night of this world to the daylight of eternal brightness. Let us always wait with solicitude and caution for the sudden coming of the Lord, so that when he knocks, our faith may be on the watch, and receive from the Lord the reward of our vigilance. If these commands be observed, if these warnings and precepts be kept, we will not be overtaken in slumber by the deceit of the devil. But we shall reign with Christ in his kingdom as servants on the watch.

August 7, 2016

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Wis 18:6-9

Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22

Reading 2 Heb 11:1-2, 8-19

Or Heb 11:1-2, 8-12

Alleluia Mt 24:42a, 44

Gospel Lk 12:32-48

Or Lk 12:35-40

Readings at Mass

August 2016

Pope's Intentions

General Intention: Sports, That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between peoples and may contribute to peace in the world.

Evangelization: Living the Gospel, That Christians may live the Gospel, giving witness to faith, honesty, and love of neighbor.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C