Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 07-09-18, OM, St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, Martyrs

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 07-09-18 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

July 9, 2018

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22

Thus says the LORD:
I will allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak to her heart.
She shall respond there as in the days of her youth,
when she came up from the land of Egypt.

On that day, says the LORD,
She shall call me “My husband,”
and never again “My baal.”

I will espouse you to me forever:
I will espouse you in right and in justice,
in love and in mercy;
I will espouse you in fidelity,
and you shall know the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm pS 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8a) The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.

Alleluia See 2 Tm 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[Salvation]

KEYWORDS: catholic; mt9; ordinarytime; prayer; saints;

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[Salvation]

From: Hosea 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22 (NAB)
Hosea 2:14, 15c-16, 19-20 (NRSV, RSV-CE and New Vulgate)

Restoration and a new Covenant

---

[14] Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
and bring her into the wilderness,
and speak tenderly to her.
[15] And there I will give her her vineyards,
and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth.
as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

[16] And in that day, says the Lord, you will call me, ‘My husband,’ and no lon-
ger will you call me, ‘My Baal.’ [17] For I will remove the names of the Baals
from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more. [18] And I will
make for you a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the
air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolish the bow, the sword,
and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety. [19] And will be-
troth you to me for ever; I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice,
in steadfast love, and in mercy. [20] I will betroth you to me in faithfulness; and
you shall know the Lord.

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Commentary:

2:2-23. This long poem contains the key to the book of Hosea. It explains the
symbolism of the account of the poet’s marriage contained in these three chap-
ters; and it sums up the content and form of the oracles in the later part of the
book. The poem begins (v. 2) with a complaint by Hosea about his wife (and
therefore by God about his people); and it ends with the prospect of rehabilita-
tion and blessing (vv. 14-23); the second and third parts in the book also begin
with a charge laid by the Lord against his people (4:1:-12:2), and end with a pro-
mise of salvation. The message of these verses is perfectly clear. Like the pro-
phet’s wife, Israel has prostituted herself by worshipping other gods. The Lord
spies on her and punishes her, to get her to return to him (vv. 2-13). But so great
is his love for Israel that, despite her infidelity, he decides to woo her all over a-
gain, to draw her to himself, and thereby to embark on a new relationship with
her in which all will be wonderful and there will never again be infidelity (vv. 14-
23). This passage contains very rich teaching about the nature of God: the initia-
tive is always his; he is not indifferent to the infidelity of his followers; if he wat-
ches what they do and punishes them, he does so to encourage them to come
back to him. Moreover, if that does not work, he has another approach to fall
back on: he can start again from the beginning: he can renew his relationships
with his faithful and with all creation. The imagery used to describe the rehabili-
tation of Israel (vv. 14-23) is very rich and full of meaning: meditation on this pas-
sage helps the reader to appreciate what God is really like.

The first part of the poem (vv. 2-13) begins with some words of complaint about
the unfaithful wife who has left her husband and become a prostitute. However,
the reader very soon sees that what is being said here also applies to Israel and
the Lord. From v. 8 onwards, the perspective is slightly different: the dominant
theme is the relationship between God and Israel, although the reader is also
aware of the husband-wife relationship. In this way the sacred writer ensures that
the reader can see the symbolism of the message; the whole story, the imagery,
carries a message about the Lord and his people. The best example of the au-
thor’s method is in the opening words (vv. 2-3) which summarize the passage.
They declare that the marriage is over (”she is not my wife, and I am not her hus-
band”: v. 2) and give the reason why (”harlotry” and “adultery” in v. 2 mean the
adornments, tattoos, amulets etc. worn by prostitutes and loose women: cf. Gen
38:15; Prov 7:10): there is also a reference to the way in which an adulterous wife
was shunned (v. 3): stripping the woman of her garments is known to have formed
part of the punishment of her crime according to some laws in force in the ancient
East (cf. Is 47:2-3; Jer 13:22; Ezek 16:37-39; etc.). But then he moves directly on-
to the symbolic plane of God and Israel: the Israelites pay homage to the Canaa-
nite fertility gods, yet there is only one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who
sends rain and makes things fertile. That God is the Lord: he can turn Israel into
a parched land (v. 3). So, the faults that the prophet is condemning here are reli-
gious ones. He reproves the Israelites for their feast days in honor of Canaanite
gods (vv. 11, 14); they think they ought to thank the Baals for bread and water
and the produce of the earth (vv. 5, 9, 12), whereas all these things come in fact
front the one God and Lord (v. 8).

The second part of the poem (vv. 14-23) speaks very directly about God and his
people. It proclaims that a time of salvation is coming which will see the faithful-
ness of old fully restored, stronger than ever. It begins (vv. 14-15) by nostalgical-
ly recalling the secluded life that they enjoyed together in the wilderness, during
the exodus from Egypt — depicted here as a sort of golden age in which the Lord
was his people’s only God (v. 14; cf. 11:1-4; Amos 5:25). That is why it mentions
the Valley of Achor (v. 15), which, being near Jericho, was the access route to
the promised land. It was the scene of a sin of infidelity, which God punished (cf.
Josh 7:24-26); hence its name, which means misadventure, misfortune; but be-
cause it is the only route into the holy land, the Lord now calls it a ‘’door of hope’’.

The text goes on (vv. 16-23) to describe the new Covenant that will be made ‘’on
that day’’ (vv. 16, 18, 21). The passage deals with two distinct themes: where the
second person is used (v 16, 19-20), the spousal covenant is being described;
where it is in the third person (vv. 17-18; 21-23), it is describing the effects that
that covenant will have on the whole land. The first condition of the spousal cove-
nant is that Israel will call her God “My husband” and not “My Baal” (v. 16). Baal
is a word that can mean god, and also lord or husband. In wanting to be called
“My husband”, the Lord is rejecting any type of mixing of religions: the God of Is-
rael is not one more god like the Baals; he is the only God there is. This exclu-
siveness in the area of married love, which transfers over into the Covenant, is
spelt out in vv. 19-20: it will last forever, it will be made in “righteousness and in
justice”, that is, God will provide special protection to Israel (cf. Mic 6:5; Jer 23:
6), and it will be in “steadfast love, and in mercy”: the words that the text uses
are “hesed” and “rahamin”, taking in, then, all the nuances of faithful love (cf.
the note on Is 49:15).

Later verses uses the third person (vv. 17-18, 21-23) to describe the consequen-
ces that will flow from this renewed Covenant: all creation will enjoy the peace
of Eden (v. 18), and the land of Israel will benefit most of all (vv. 21-23). Perhaps
the most significant thing here is the use of the verb “to answer”: when Israel
“answers” (cf. v. 15) God’s love, the heavens will answer the earth, and the earth
will answer its fruits (vv. 21-22). What this means is that nothing will be barren,
there will be no desire that goes unsatisfied; a proof of this is the new change
of names (v. 23): names implying indictment are replaced by names of salva-
tion.

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

[Salvation]

From: Matthew 9:18-26

The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter

---

[18] While He (Jesus) was speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt
before Him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on
her, and she will live.” [19] And Jesus rose and followed him, with His disciples.

The Curing of the Woman with a Hemorrhage

---

[20] And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years
came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment; [21] for she said to
herself, “If I only touch His garment, I shall be made well.” [22] Jesus turned,
and seeing her He said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”
And instantly the woman was made well. [23] And when Jesus came to the ru-
ler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, [24] He
said, “Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at Him.
[25] But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her by the
hand, and the girl arose. [26] And the report of this went through all that district.

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

18-26. Here are two miracles which occur almost simultaneously. From parallel
passages in Mark (5:21-43) and Luke (8:40-56) we know that the “ruler” (of the
synagogue) referred to here was called Jairus. The Gospels report Jesus raising
three people to life—this girl, the son of the widow of Nain, and Lazarus. In each
case the identity of the person is clearly given.

This account shows us, once again, the role faith plays in Jesus’ saving actions.
In the case of the woman with the hemorrhage we should note that Jesus is won
over by her sincerity and faith: she does not let obstacles get in her way. Simi-
larly, Jairus does not care what people will say; a prominent person in his city,
he humbles himself before Jesus for all to see.

18. “Knelt before Him”: the eastern way of showing respect to God or to impor-
tant people. In the liturgy, especially in the presence of the Blessed Eucharist,
reverences are a legitimate and appropriate external sign of internal faith and
adoration.

23. “The flute players”: engaged to provide music at wakes and funerals.

24. “Depart, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping”: Jesus says the same thing
about Lazarus: “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him”
(John 11:11).

Although Jesus speaks of sleep, there is no question of the girl — or Lazarus,
later — not being dead. For our Lord there is only one true death — that of
eternal punishment (cf. Matthew 10:28).

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

[Salvation]

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

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

---

First reading

Hosea 2:16,17-18,21-22 ©

I will betroth you to myself and you will come to know the name of the Lord

It is the Lord who speaks:

I am going to lure her

and lead her out into the wilderness

and speak to her heart.

I am going to give her back her vineyards,

and make the Valley of Achor a gateway of hope.

There she will respond to me as she did when she was young,

as she did when she came out of the land of Egypt.

When that day comes – it is the Lord who speaks –

she will call me, ‘My husband’,

no longer will she call me, ‘My Baal.’

I will betroth you to myself for ever,

betroth you with integrity and justice,

with tenderness and love;

I will betroth you to myself with faithfulness,

and you will come to know the Lord.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 144(145):2-9 ©

The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

I will bless you day after day

  and praise your name for ever.

The Lord is great, highly to be praised,

  his greatness cannot be measured.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

Age to age shall proclaim your works,

  shall declare your mighty deeds,

shall speak of your splendour and glory,

  tell the tale of your wonderful works.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

They will speak of your terrible deeds,

  recount your greatness and might.

They will recall your abundant goodness;

  age to age shall ring out your justice.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

  slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

  compassionate to all his creatures.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion.

---

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:	cf.2Tim1:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death

and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Matthew 9:18-26 ©

'Your faith has restored you to health'

While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.

  When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.

[annalex]

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 9
18.	As he was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.	Hæc illo loquente ad eos, ecce princeps unus accessit, et adorabat eum, dicens : Domine, filia mea modo defuncta est : sed veni, impone manum tuam super eam, et vivet.	ταυτα αυτου λαλουντος αυτοις ιδου αρχων εις ελθων προσεκυνει αυτω λεγων οτι η θυγατηρ μου αρτι ετελευτησεν αλλα ελθων επιθες την χειρα σου επ αυτην και ζησεται
19.	And Jesus rising up followed him, with his disciples.	Et surgens Jesus, sequebatur eum, et discipuli ejus.	και εγερθεις ο ιησους ηκολουθησεν αυτω και οι μαθηται αυτου
20.	And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.	Et ecce mulier, quæ sanguinis fluxum patiebatur duodecim annis, accessit retro, et tetigit fimbriam vestimenti ejus.	και ιδου γυνη αιμορροουσα δωδεκα ετη προσελθουσα οπισθεν ηψατο του κρασπεδου του ιματιου αυτου
21.	For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed.	Dicebat enim intra se : Si tetigero tantum vestimentum ejus, salva ero.	ελεγεν γαρ εν εαυτη εαν μονον αψωμαι του ιματιου αυτου σωθησομαι
22.	But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.	At Jesus conversus, et videns eam, dixit : Confide, filia, fides tua te salvam fecit. Et salva facta est mulier ex illa hora.	ο δε ιησους επιστραφεις και ιδων αυτην ειπεν θαρσει θυγατερ η πιστις σου σεσωκεν σε και εσωθη η γυνη απο της ωρας εκεινης
23.	And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude making a rout,	Et cum venisset Jesus in domum principis, et vidisset tibicines et turbam tumultuantem, dicebat :	και ελθων ο ιησους εις την οικιαν του αρχοντος και ιδων τους αυλητας και τον οχλον θορυβουμενον
24.	He said: Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.	Recedite : non est enim mortua puella, sed dormit. Et deridebant eum.	λεγει αυτοις αναχωρειτε ου γαρ απεθανεν το κορασιον αλλα καθευδει και κατεγελων αυτου
25.	And when the multitude was put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand. And the maid arose.	Et cum ejecta esset turba, intravit : et tenuit manum ejus, et surrexit puella.	οτε δε εξεβληθη ο οχλος εισελθων εκρατησεν της χειρος αυτης και ηγερθη το κορασιον
26.	And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.	Et exiit fama hæc in universam terram illam.	και εξηλθεν η φημη αυτη εις ολην την γην εκεινην

[annalex]

18. While he spoke these things to them, behold, there came a certain ruler; and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay your hand upon her, and she shall live.
19. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
21. For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22. But Jesus turned him about, and when He saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

CHRYS; After His instructions He adds a miracle, which should mightily discomfit the Pharisees, because He who came to beg this miracle, was a ruler of the synagogue, and the mourning was great, for she was his only child, and of the age of twelve years, that is, when the flower of youth begins; While he spoke these things to them, behold there came one of their chief men to him.

AUG; This narrative is given both by Mark and Luke, but in a quite different order; namely, when after the casting out of time demons and their entrance into the swine, he had returned across the lake from the country of the Gerasenes. Now Mark does indeed tell us that this happened after He had crossed the lake, but how long after He does not determine. Unless there had been some interval of time, that could not have taken place that Matthew relates concerning the feast in his house. After this, immediately follows that concerning the ruler of the synagogue's daughter. If the ruler came to Him while He was yet speaking that of the new patch, and the new wine, then no other act of speech of his intervened. And in Mark's account, the place where these things might come in, is evident. In like manner, Luke does not contradict Matthew; for what he adds, And behold a man, whose name was Jairus, is not to be taken as though it followed instantly what had been related before, but after that feast with the Publicans, as Matthew relates. While he spoke these things to them, behold, one of their chief men, namely, Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, came to him, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, my daughter is even now dead. It should be observed, lest there should seem to be some discrepancy, that the other two Evangelists represent her as at the point of death, but yet not dead, but so as afterwards to say that there came afterwards some saying, She is dead, trouble not the Master, for Matthew for the sake of shortness represents the Lord as having been asked at first to do that which it is manifest He did do, namely, raise the dead. He looks not at the words of the father respecting his daughter, but rather his mind. For he had so far despaired of her life, that he made his request rather for her to be called to life again, thinking it impossible that she, whom he had left dying, should be found yet alive. The other two then have given Jairus' words; Matthew has put what he wished and thought. Indeed had either of them related that it was the father himself that said that Jesus should not be troubled for she was now dead, in that case the words that Matthew has given would not have corresponded with the thoughts of the ruler. But we do not read that he agreed with the messengers. Hence we learn a thing of the highest necessity, that we should look at nothing in any man's words, but his meaning to which his words ought to be subservient; and no man gives a false account when he repeats a man's meaning in words other than those actually used.

CHRYS; Or; The ruler says, she is dead, exaggerating his calamity. As it is time manner of those that prefer a petition to magnify their distresses, and to represent them as something more than they really are, in order to gain the compassion of those to whom they make supplication; whence he adds, But come and lay your hand upon her, and she shall live. See his dullness. He begs two things of Christ, to come, and to lay His hand upon her. This was what Naaman the Syrian required of the Prophet. For they who are constituted thus hard of heart have need of sight and things sensible.

REMIG; We ought to admire and at the same time to imitate the humility and mercifulness of the Lord; as soon as ever He was asked, He rose to follow him that asked; And Jesus rose, and followed him. Here is instruction both for such as are in command, and such as are in subjection. To these He has left an example of obedience; to those who are set over others He shows how earnest and watchful they should be in teaching; whenever they hear of any being dead in spirit, they should hasten to Him; And his disciples went with him.

CHRYS; Mark and Luke say that He took with Him three disciples only, namely, Peter, James, and John; He took not Matthew, to quicken his desires, and because he was yet not perfectly minded; and for this reason He honors these three, that others may become like-minded. It was enough meanwhile for Matthew to see the things that were done respecting her that had the issue of blood, concerning whom it follows; And, behold, a woman who had suffered an issue of blood twelve years, came behind and touched the hem of his garment.

JEROME; This woman that had the flux came to the Lord not in the house, nor in the town, for she was excluded from them by the Law, but by the way as He walked; thus as He goes to heal one woman, another is cured.

CHRYS; She came not to Christ with an open address through shame concerning this her disease, believing herself unclean; for in the Law this disease was esteemed highly unclean. For this reason she hides herself.

REMIG; in which her humility must be praised, that she came not before His face, but behind, and judged herself unworthy to touch the Lord's feet, yea, she touched not His whole garment, but the hem only; for the Lord wore a hem according to the command of the Law . So the Pharisees also wore hems which they made large, and in some they inserted thorns. But the Lord's hem was not made to wound, but to heal, and therefore it follows, For she said within herself, If I can but touch his garment, I shall be made whole. How wonderful her faith, that though she despaired of healing from the physicians, on whom notwithstanding she had exhausted her living, she received that a heavenly Physician was at hand, and therefore bent her whole soul on Him; whence she deserved to be healed; But Jesus turning and seeing her, said, Be of good cheer, daughter, your faith has made you whole.

RABAN; What is this that He bids her, Be of good cheer, seeing if she had not had faith, she would not have sought healing of Him? He requires of her strength and perseverance, that she may come to a sure and certain salvation.

CHRYS; Or because the woman was fearful, therefore He said, Be of good cheer. He calls her daughter, for her faith had made her such.

JEROME; He said not, Your faith shall make you whole, but, has made you whole; for in that you have believed, thou art already made whole.

CHRYS; She had not yet a perfect mind respecting Christ, or she would not have supposed that she could be hid from Him; but Christ would not suffer her to go away unobserved, not that He sought fame, but for many reasons. First, He relieves the woman's fear, that she should not be pricked in her conscience as though she had stolen this boon; secondly, He corrects her error in supposing she could be hid from Him; thirdly, He displays her faith to all for their imitation; and fourthly, He did a miracle, in that He showed He knew all things, no less than in drying the fountain of her blood. It follows, And the woman was made whole from that hour.

GLOSS; This must be understood as the time in which she touched the hem of His garment, not in which Jesus turned to her; for she was already healed, as the other Evangelists testify, and as may be inferred from the Lord's words.

HILARY; Herein is to be observed the marvelous virtue of the Lord, that the power that dwelt in His body should give healing to things perishable, and the heavenly energy extended even through the hems of His garments; for God is not comprehensible that He should be shut in by a body, for His taking a body to Him did not confine His power, but His power took upon it a frail body for our redemption. Figuratively, this ruler is to be understood as the Law, which prays the Lord that He would restore life to the dead multitude which it had brought up for Christ, preaching that His coming was to be looked for.

RABAN; Or; The ruler of the synagogue signifies Moses; he is named Jairus, ' illuminating,' or, ' that shall illuminate,' because he received the words of life to give to us, and by them enlightens all, being himself enlightened by the Holy Spirit. The daughter of the ruler, that is, the synagogue itself, being as it were in the twelfth year of its age, that is, in the season of puberty, when it should have borne spiritual progeny to God, fell into the sickness of error. While then the Word of God is hastening to this ruler's daughter to make whole the sons of Israel, a holy Church is gathered from among the Gentiles, which while it was perishing by inward corruption, received by faith that healing that was prepared for others. It should be noted, that the ruler's daughter was twelve years old, and this woman had been twelve years afflicted; thus she had begun to be diseased at the very time the other was born, so in one and the same age the synagogue had its birth among the Patriarchs, and the nations without began to be polluted with the pest of idolatry. For the issue of blood may be taken in two ways, either for the pollution of idolatry, or for obedience to the pleasures of flesh and blood. Thus as long as the synagogue flourished, the Church languished; the falling away of the first was made the salvation of the Gentiles. Also the Church draws nigh and touches the Lord, when it approaches Him in faith. She believed, spoke her belief; and touched, for by these three things, faith, word, and deed, all salvation is gained. She came behind Him, as He spoke, If any one serve me, let him follow me; or because, not having seen the Lord present in the flesh, when the sacraments of His incarnation were fulfilled, she came at length to the grace of the knowledge of Him. Thus also she touched the hem of His garment, because the Gentiles, though they had not seen Christ in the flesh, received the tidings of His incarnation. The garment of Christ is put for the mystery of His incarnation, wherewith His Deity is clothed; the hem of His garment are the words that hang upon His incarnation. She touches not the garment, but the hem thereof; because she saw not the Lord in the flesh but received the word of the incarnation through the Apostles. Blessed is he that touches but the uttermost part of the word by faith. She is healed while the Lord is not in the city, but while the Lord is yet on the way; as the Apostles cried, Because you judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. And from the time of the Lord's coming the Gentiles began to be healed.

23. And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
24. He said to them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed him to scorn.
25. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

GLOSS; After the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, follows the raising of the dead; And when Jesus was come into the ruler's house.

CHRYS; We may suppose that He proceeded slowly, and spoke longer to the woman whom He had healed, that He might suffer the maid to die and thus an evident miracle of restoring to life might be wrought. In the case of Lazarus also He waited till the third day And when he saw the minstrels and the people making a noise; this was proof of her death.

AMBROSE; For by the ancient custom minstrels were engaged to make lamentation for the dead.

CHRYS; But Christ put forth all the pipers, but took in the parents, that it might not be said that He had healed her by any other means; and before the restoring to life He excites their expectations by His words. And he said, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleeps.

BEDE; As though He had said To you she is dead, but to God who has power to give life, she sleeps only both in soul and body.

CHRYS; By this saying, He soothes the minds of those that. were present, and shows that it is easy to Him to raise the dead; the like He did in the case of Lazarus, Our friend Lazarus sleeps. This was also a lesson to them not to be afraid of death; forasmuch as He Himself also should die, He made His disciples learn in the persons of others confidence and patient endurance of death. For when He was near, death was but as sleep. When He had said this, They mocked him. And he did not rebuke their mocking; that this mocking, and the pipes and all other things, might be a proof of her death. For often times at His miracles when men would not believe, He convicted them by their own answers; as in the case of Lazarus when He said, Where have you laid him? so that they that answered, Come and see, and, He stinks, for he has now been dead four days, could no longer disbelieve that He had raised a dead man.

JEROME; They that had mocked the Reviver were not worthy to behold the mystery of the revival; and therefore it follows, And when the multitude was put forth, he entered, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

CHRYS; He restored her to life not by bringing in another soul, but by recalling that which had departed, and as it were raising it from sleep, and through this sight preparing the way for belief of the resurrection. And He not only restores her to life, but commands food to be given her, as the other Evangelists relate, that that which was done might be seen to be no delusion. And the fame of it went abroad into all that country.

GLOSS. The fame, namely, of the greatness and novelty of the miracle, and its established truth; so that it could not be supposed to be a forgery.

HILARY; Mystically; The Lord enters the ruler's house, that is, the synagogue, throughout which there resounded in the songs of the Law a strain of wailing.

JEROME; To this day the damsel lays dead in the ruler's house; and they that seem to be teachers are but minstrels singing funeral dirges. The Jews also are not the crowd of believers, but of people making a noise. But when the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, then all Israel shall be saved.

HILARY; But that the number of the elect. might be known to be but few out of the whole body of believers, the multitude is put forth; the Lord indeed would that they should be saved, but they mocked at His sayings and actions, and so were not worthy to be made partakers of His resurrection.

JEROME; He took her by the hand, and the maid arose; because if the hands the Jews which are detailed with blood be not first cleansed, their synagogue which is dead shall not revive.

HILARY; His fame went about into all that country; that is the salvation of the elect, the gift and works of Christ are preached.

RABAN; Morally; The damsel dead in the house is the soul dead in thought. He says that she is asleep, because they that are now asleep in sin may yet be roused by penitence. The minstrels are flatterers who cherish the dead.

GREG; The multitude are put forth that the damsel may be raised; for unless the multitude of worldly cares is first banished from the secrets of the heart, the soul which is laid dead within, cannot rise again.

RABAN; The maiden is raised in the house with few to witness, the young man without the gate, and Lazarus in the presence of many; for a public scandal requires a public expiation; a less notorious, a lesser remedy; and secret sins may be done away by penitence.

Catena Aurea Matthew 9

[annalex]

This icon depicts the miracle of the healing of a woman suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years. She was healed by reaching out in faith and touching the hem of Our Lord's robe. The necessity of faith in the healing, given by Christ, is further shown in the other incidents of faith and is illustrated in the lower level of the icon. These healing miracles of faith illustrate well the verse written in Syriac on each of the Lenten icons: "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,…" (Jn 20:31) (courtesy NYer)

[Salvation]

Pray for Pope Francis.

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It's time to kneel down and pray for our nation (Sacramental Marriage)

[Salvation]

Perpetual Novena for the Nation (Ecumenical)

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Prayers for The Religion Forum (Ecumenical)

[Salvation]

7 Powerful Ways to Pray for Christians Suffering in the Middle East

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Pray the Rosary!

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[Salvation]

 

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.

[Salvation]

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 Joyful Mysteries

(Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

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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
+

[Salvation]

Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 

 

July Devotion: The Precious Blood

July Devotion: The Precious Blood 

Like the Sacred Wounds of Jesus, His Precious Blood deserves special honor because of its close relation to the Sacred Passion. That honor was given to it from the beginning by the Apostles who praised its redeeming power. (Rom. 5:9 "we are justified by His blood"; Heb. 13:12 "and so Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by His blood, suffered outside the gate"; 1 John 1:7 "and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.") 

The Church has always held devotion to the Precious Blood in high esteem. We continue to recognize and publicly acknowledge the profound indebtedness of the whole human race to Christ, Priest and Victim. 

Standing at the foot of the cross, we see Jesus' head, hands, feet, and side pouring out streams of precious blood. It is precious because it: 

•      Redeems us and atones for our sins. Through His precious blood we are reconciled to God, made one with Him. Death ceases to be death and heaven's gates are opened to us.  

•      Cleanses us from all sin.  

•      Preserves us and keeps us safe from the grasp of evil.  When the Father sees us washed in the Blood of the Lamb we are spared.  

•      Comforts us. It is the constant reminder that Jesus - true God and true man suffered and died to save us and to open heaven to us because He loves us.  

•      Sanctifies us.  The same blood that justifies by taking away sin, continues to work within us.  Its action gives us the grace to continue on the path toward the Kingdom of God.  It assists us in achieving our new nature, leading us onward in subduing sin and in following the commands of God.  

Jesus shed His precious blood seven times during His life on earth.  They events were: 

•      Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision  

•      Jesus shed His Blood whilst praying in the Garden of Olives  

•      Jesus shed His Blood in the scourging  

•      Jesus shed His Blood in the crowning with thorns  

•      Jesus shed His Blood while carrying His cross  

•      Jesus shed His Blood in the crucifixion  

•      Jesus shed His Blood and water when His side was pierced 

 

The Power of the Precious Blood 

"I adore You, O Precious Blood of Jesus, flower of creation, fruit of virginity, ineffable instrument of the Holy Spirit, and I rejoice at the thought that You came from the drop of virginal blood on which eternal Love impressed its movement; You were assumed by the Word and deified in His person. I am overcome with emotion when I think of Your passing from the Blessed Virgin's heart into the heart of the Word, and, being vivified by the breath of the Divinity, becoming adorable because You became the Blood of God." (St. Albert the Great)

 

---

At their recent meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had continuous Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for "healing and peace."   They encouraged parishes and communities to have ongoing Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  In these dark months of woundedness, pain and violence we need to turn to the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, for healing, peace, and light.  

"What power we have in the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!  He is there to protect us, to be our refuge and our redemption.  (In Exodus 12, God told Moses to have His chosen people mark their door posts with the blood of an unblemished lamb, during the first Passover. Those who did this were spared when the Angel of the death passed by). This is why Archbishop Sheen said that we must call down the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  For, he warned, when we stop calling down the Blood of the Lamb, we start calling down the blood of each other."  (From our book Bread of Life)      

"And the Lamb on the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water" (Rev 7:17). 

"In the tumultuous events of our time, it is important to look to the Eucharist: it must be at the heart of the life of priests and consecrated people; the light and strength of spouses in putting into practice their commitment to fidelity, chastity and the apostolate; the ideal in education and in training children, adolescents and young people; the comfort and support of those who are troubled, of the sick and all who are weeping in the Gethsemane of life."  (Pope John Paul II)  

Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! 

"The only time our Lord asked the Apostles for anything was the night when He went into His agony.  But as often in the history of the church since that time, evil was awake, but the disciples were asleep.  That is why there came out of His anguished and lonely Heart a sigh: 'Could you not watch one hour with Me?'" (Mt 26:40).  Not for an hour of activity did he plead, but for an hour of friendship (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen).  

 

St. Maria Goretti,  Patroness of Youth & Children of Mary, Feast-July 6 St. Maria of Italy (1890-1902), couldn't wait to make her First Communion.  She wanted to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist so that she could become more beautiful and pure like Him; she wanted Him to live in her, close to her heart.  After she received Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the first time, she stayed in Church for a long time after Mass to talk to Him. Maria's family lived with and worked for a farmer. His son Alessandro kept trying to make Maria sin against purity.  One day, when everyone else was working, Alessandro grabbed Maria and tried to make her sin.  Maria kept crying out for him to stop, and each time she did, he stabbed her. Courageously,   Maria resisted him and was stabbed fourteen times. St. Maria died the next day.  

"Look at Maria Goretti....  Like her, be capable of defending your purity of heart and body.  Be committed to the struggle against evil and sin.  Always esteem and love, purity and virginity." (Pope John Paul II, 1990)      

 

A Prayer for Priests 

O my God, help those priests who are faithful to remain faithful; to those who are falling, stretch forth Your Divine Hand that they may grasp it as their support.  In the great ocean of Your mercy, lift those poor unfortunate ones who have fallen, that being engulfed therein they may receive the grace to return to Your Great Loving Heart.  Amen.  Precious Blood of Jesus, protect them!

 

The Eucharist is the fruit of our Lords Passion. Jesus gave up His Body on the cross so that He may give you His Body in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus poured out His very last drop of Blood on the cross so that He may fill you with His Divine Love each time that you receive Him in Holy Communion and visit Him in Eucharistic Adoration! 

"The Eucharist, in the Mass and outside of the Mass, is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and is therefore deserving of the worship that is given to the living God, and to Him alone" (Pope John Paul II, September 29, 1979, Phoenix Park, Ireland) 

"The bread and wine, fruit of human hands, transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit into the body and blood of Christ, become a pledge of the 'new heaven and new earth,' announced by the Church in her daily mission." "In Christ, whom we adore present in the mystery of the Eucharist, the father uttered his final word with regard to humanity and human history." "To live the Eucharist, it is necessary, as well, to spend much time in adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament, something which I myself experience every day drawing from it strength, consolation and assistance."  "How could the Church fulfill her vocation without cultivating a constant relationship with the Eucharist, without nourishing herself with this food which sanctifies, without founding her missionary activity on this indispensable support?" "To evangelize the world there is need of apostles who are 'experts' in the celebration, adoration and contemplation of the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, World Mission Message 2004).

 

The Power of the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist  

 

"The Precious Blood belongs in an especial manner to men. Much more, therefore, does God invite them to come to its heavenly baths, and receive therein, not only the cleansing of their souls, but the power of a new and amazing life. Every doctrine in theology is a call to the Precious Blood.  Every ceremony in the Church tells of it . . . .  Every supernatural act is a growth of it. Everything that is holy on earth is either a leaf, bud, blossom or fruit of the Blood of Jesus. To its fountains God calls the sinner, that he may be lightened of his burdens. There is no remission of him in anything else.  Only there is his lost sonship to be found. The saints are no less called by God to these invigorating streams. It is out of the Precious Blood that men draw martyrdoms, vocations, celebacies, austerities, heroic charities, and all the magnificent graces of high sanctity.  The secret nourishment of prayer is from those fountains" (Father Faber, The Precious Blood).  

 

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus
July is traditionally associated with the Precious Blood of Our Lord. It may be customary to celebrate the votive Mass of the Precious Blood on July 1.

The extraordinary importance of the saving Blood of Christ has ensured a central place for its memorial in the celebration of this cultic mystery: at the centre of the Eucharistic assembly, in which the Church raises up to God in thanksgiving "the cup of blessing" (1 Cor 10, 16; cf Ps 115-116, 13) and offers it to the faithful as a "real communion with the Blood of Christ" (1 Cor 10, 16); and throughout the Liturgical Year. The Church celebrates the saving Blood of Christ not only on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, but also on many other occasions, such that the cultic remembrance of the Blood of our redemption (cf 1 Pt 1, 18) pervades the entire Liturgical Year. Hence, at Vespers during Christmastide, the Church, addressing Christ, sings: "Nos quoque, qui sancto tuo redempti sumus sanguine, ob diem natalis tui hymnum novum concinimus." In the Paschal Triduum, the redemptive significance and efficacy of the Blood of Christ is continuously recalled in adoration. During the adoration of the Cross on Good Friday the Church sings the hymn: "Mite corpus perforatur, sanguis unde profluit; terra, pontus, astra, mundus quo lavanturflumine", and again on Easter Sunday, "Cuius corpus sanctissimum in ara crucis torridum, sed et cruorem roesum gustando, Deo vivimus (194).

Catholic Word of the Day: LITANY OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD, 09-25-12
ST. GASPAR: Founder of the Society of the Precious Blood
Mass in the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (London, 9/18)

Devotion to the Drops of Blood Lost by our Lord Jesus Christ on His Way to Calvary (Prayer/Devotion)
Chaplet of the Most Precious Blood
Catholic Word of the Day: PRECIOUS BLOOD, 12-03-11
The Traditional Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Catholic Caucus)
Devotion to the Precious Blood
DOCTRINE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And More on the Precious Blood
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
NOTHING IS MORE POTENT AGAINST EVIL THAN PLEADING THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you"  (Jn 6:53).  

[Salvation]

July, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Evangelization – Priests and their Pastoral Ministry, That priests, who experience fatigue and loneliness in their pastoral work, may find help and comfort in their intimacy with the Lord and in their friendship with their brother priests.