Sea of Sorrow

Oh! on what a sea of sorrow
Was the Virgin-Mother cast,
When her eyes with tears o'erflowing
Gazed upon her Son aghast,
From the bloodstained gibbet taken,
Dying in her arms at last.

In her bitter desolation,
His sweet mouth, His bosom too,
Then His riven side beloved,
Then each hand, both wounded through,
Then His feet, with blood encrimsoned,
Her maternal tears bedew.

She, a hundred times and over,
Strains Him closely to her breast
Heart to Heart, arms arms enfolding,
Are His wounds on her impressed:
Thus, in sorrow's very kisses,
Melts her anguished soul to rest.

Oh, dear Mother! we beseech thee,
By the tears thine eyes have shed,
By the cruel death of Jesus
And His wounds' right royal red,
Make our hearts o'erflow with sorrow
From thy heart's deep fountainhead.

To the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Now we bend on equal knee:
Glory, sempiternal glory,
To the Most High Trinity;
Yea! perpetual praise and honor
Now and through all ages be.

Novena Prayer To Our Sorrowful Mother

Most Blessed and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, who didst stand generously beneath the cross, beholding the agony of thy dying Son; by the sword of sorrow which then pierced thy soul, by the sufferings of thy sorrowful life, by the unutterable joy which now more than repays thee for them; look down with a mother's pity and tenderness, as I kneel before thee to compassionate thy sorrows, and to lay my petition with childlike confidence in thy wounded heart. I beg of thee, O my Mother, to plead continually for me with thy Son, since He can refuse thee nothing, and through the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together with thy own sufferings at the foot of the cross, so to touch His Sacred Heart, that I may obtain my request,
For to whom shall I fly in my wants and miseries, if not to thee, O Mother of mercy, who, having so deeply drunk the chalice of thy Son, canst most pity us poor exiles, still doomed to sigh in this vale of tears? Offer to Jesus but one drop of His Precious Blood, but one pang of His adorable Heart; remind Him that thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope, and thou wilt obtain what I ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hail Mary
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us
(Seven times each)

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Litany of the Seven Sorrows

Litany of Seven Sorrows

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . God the Holy Ghost, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of the Crucified, Sorrowful Mother, Mournful Mother, Sighing Mother, Afflicted Mother, Foresaken Mother, . Desolate Mother, Mother most sad, Mother set around with anguish, Mother overwhelmed by grief, Mother transfixed by a sword, Mother crucified in thy heart, Mother bereaved of thy Son, Sighing Dove, Mother of Dolors, Fount of tears, Sea of bitterness, Field of tribulation, Mass of suffering, Mirror of patience, Rock of constancy, Remedy in perplexity, Joy of the afflicted, Ark of the desolate, Refuge of the abandoned,. Shiled of the oppressed, Conqueror of the incredulous, Solace of the wretched, Medicine of the sick, Help of the faint, Strength of the weak, Protectress of those who fight, Haven of the shipwrecked, Calmer of tempests, Companion of the sorrowful, Retreat of those who groan, Terror of the treacherous, Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, Treasure of the Faithful, Light of Confessors, Pearl of Virgins, . Comfort of Widows, . Joy of all Saints, Queen of thy Servants, Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,	Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray, --- O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end, Amen.
The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb.

Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen.		Litany of Sorrows

Stabat Mater dolorosa
At the Cross Her Station Keeping

Stabat Mater Dolorosa is considered one of the seven greatest Latin hymns of all time. It is based upon the prophecy of Simeon that a sword was to pierce the heart of His mother, Mary (Lk 2:35). The hymn originated in the 13th century during the peak of Franciscan devotion to the crucified Jesus and has been attributed to Pope Innocent III (d. 1216), St. Bonaventure, or more commonly, Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306), who is considered by most to be the real author.

The hymn is often associated with the Stations of the Cross. In 1727 it was prescribed as a Sequence for the Mass of the Seven Sorrows of Mary (September 15) where it is still used today. In addition to this Mass, the hymn is also used for the Office of the Readings, Lauds, and Vespers for this memorial. There is a mirror image to this hymn, which echoes the joy of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the birth of Jesus.

STABAT Mater dolorosa iuxta Crucem lacrimosa, dum pendebat Filius.	AT, the Cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Cuius animam gementem, contristatam et dolentem pertransivit gladius.	Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword has passed.
O quam tristis et afflicta fuit illa benedicta, mater Unigeniti!	O how sad and sore distressed was that Mother, highly blest, of the sole-begotten One.
Quae maerebat et dolebat, pia Mater, dum videbat nati poenas inclyti.	Christ above in torment hangs, she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying glorious Son.
Quis est homo qui non fleret, matrem Christi si videret in tanto supplicio?	Is there one who would not weep, whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Quis non posset contristari Christi Matrem contemplari dolentem cum Filio?	Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Pro peccatis suae gentis vidit Iesum in tormentis, et flagellis subditum.	Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child All with bloody scourges rent:
Vidit suum dulcem Natum moriendo desolatum, dum emisit spiritum.	For the sins of His own nation, saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit forth He sent.
Eia, Mater, fons amoris me sentire vim doloris fac, ut tecum lugeam.	O thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord:
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum in amando Christum Deum ut sibi complaceam.	Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ my Lord.
Sancta Mater, istud agas, crucifixi fige plagas cordi meo valide.	Holy Mother! pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Savior crucified:
Tui Nati vulnerati, tam dignati pro me pati, poenas mecum divide.	Let me share with thee His pain, who for all my sins was slain, who for me in torments died.
Fac me tecum pie flere, crucifixo condolere, donec ego vixero.	Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him who mourned for me, all the days that I may live:
Iuxta Crucem tecum stare, et me tibi sociare in planctu desidero.	By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgo virginum praeclara, mihi iam non sis amara, fac me tecum plangere.	Virgin of all virgins blest!, Listen to my fond request: let me share thy grief divine;
Fac, ut portem Christi mortem, passionis fac consortem, et plagas recolere.	Let me, to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Fac me plagis vulnerari, fac me Cruce inebriari, et cruore Filii.	Wounded with His every wound, steep my soul till it hath swooned, in His very Blood away;
Flammis ne urar succensus, per te, Virgo, sim defensus in die iudicii.	Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christe, cum sit hinc exire, da per Matrem me venire ad palmam victoriae.	Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, by Thy Mother my defense, by Thy Cross my victory;
Quando corpus morietur, fac, ut animae donetur paradisi gloria. Amen.	While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.

From the Liturgia Horarum. Translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.

Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori's Prayer To The Mother Of Sorrows

O, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. O, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased to suffer so much for me, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits; for I have often deserved Hell.
Amen.

Stabet Mater Dolorosa (catholic/orthodox caucus)
[CATHOLIC/ORTHODOX CAUCUS] Spirituality: Our Lady of Sorrows
The Seven Swords Rosary Of Our Lady Of Sorrows [Catholic Caucus] Prayer and Meditation
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Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15

September, 2018

The Holy Father's Prayer Intention

Universal – Young People in Africa, That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in their own countries.

'One of the most efficacious means of keeping ourselves chaste, is to have compassion for those who fall through their frailty, and never to boast in the least of being free, but with all humility to acknowledge that whatever we have is from the mercy of God.'

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3692336/posts

Saint of the Day — Saint Jerome.

The great Church scholar who lived in a cave for 32 years

Jerome: The Principal Works of St. Jerome [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Saint Jerome, pioneer and patron of scripture studies, to be remembered September 30
"Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ"
Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ -- St. Jerome
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On St. Jerome
St. Jerome — Feminist?
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Saint Jerome - Doctor Of Biblical Studies
Saint Jerome: Doctor Of Biblical Studies

Information: St. Jerome

Feast Day: September 30

Born: 340-342, Stridon, on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia

Died: 420, Bethlehem, Judea

Major Shrine: Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome, Italy

Patron of: archeologists; archivists; Bible scholars; librarians; libraries; schoolchildren; students; translators

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, September 30

Liturgical Color: Green

Today is the Memorial of St. Jerome, priest
and Doctor of the Church. He translated many
early writings of the Church including
histories and biographies. He died in 419 A.D.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: September 30th

Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

September 30, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. (Mk. 9:42-43)."

The feast of St. Jerome, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of Numbers 11:25-29. The book of Numbers is a narrative of the 39 years the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness. Today's reading comes from the account of the journey through the wilderness.

The second reading is from the Epistle of St. James 5:1-6. The main purpose of this epistle is the teaching of morality and self-discipline. The sacred writer speaks with great severity, not mincing his words, in order to make people see that actions of the kind he condemns are incompatible with the profession of the Christian faith.

The Gospel is from St. Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48. There are two very practical lessons we must learn from today's Gospel: the grave obligation we have of not causing scandal to our fellow-Christians or indeed to any man or woman and secondly, the willingness we should have to sacrifice any earthly possession which is a cause of sin to us.

Scandal, the sin of being a cause or an occasion of another's sin, is doubly sinful involving one's own sin and the sin of the person scandalized. Scandal can be caused by word—that is, by teaching or propagating wrong doctrine or by giving sinful advice, and it can be caused by one's own sinful deeds which may be imitated by others. Those in positions of authority such as parents whose duty it is to bring up their children in the Christian faith, are especially liable to give scandal if they fail to live truly Christian lives. Christian parents who fail to live according to their faith will be held accountable not only for their own sins, but for the sins of their children and perhaps their children's children for generations to come.

Much, if not all of today's moral laxity and permissiveness can be blamed on parents who have failed to give the example of true Christian living in the home and in dealings with their neighbors. To children of such parents, Christianity is only a label; it does not inform or inspire their lives, hence they are only nominal Christians. It is true that there may be "black sheep" in the best of Christian homes. When, however, all the children of a home are "black sheep" the whiteness, the sincerity, of the parents of such a home must certainly be called into question. There may be many bad influences at work outside the home but the good example of truly Christian parents can counteract these influences. Let parents see to it that they will not be a cause of scandal and a cause of eternal loss to the children God put into their charge.

The second lesson for all of us in today's Gospel is that we should ever realize that eternal life is worth any sacrifice which we may be called on to make. The road we have to travel in life is not an easy one. As our Lord says in another place: "Enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. But the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Mt. 7: 13). We wish to reach heaven, therefore we must be prepared to follow Christ; we must not allow others to lead us astray but be prepared and determined to conquer and resist our own evil inclinations also.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Numbers 11:25-29

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Eldad and Medad.(Numbers 11:27)

We all know that Moses was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, but today’s first reading tells us that God took the Spirit and shared it with seventy-two elders of Israel. Unfortunately, two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, were not with everyone else when this happened.

But that didn’t stop God. To everyone’s surprise, the Spirit fell upon Eldad and Medad, even though they were not at the “ordination.” Hearing the news, Moses declared, “Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets!” (Numbers 11:29).

There is a similar story in today’s Gospel. John told Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him” because “whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:38, 39, 40). In both of these stories, people were harshly judging someone who was trying to do God’s will but who didn’t fit into their expectations.

Today, we still believe that the Spirit falls on everyone who is baptized and accepts Jesus in faith. As Peter said, “The promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off” (Acts 2:39). Those who are“far off” includes us. Like Moses and the elders, the apostles, and the man John condemned, we too have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We too are meant to be prophets.

Being a prophet doesn’t mean shouting in the desert like John the Baptist did. It doesn’t mean confronting kings and princes like Jeremiah and Amos did. A prophet is someone who brings Jesus and his words to the world. That’s our job. Jesus is asking us to tell people how wonderful he is. He is asking us to proclaim his mercy, his goodness, and his salvation. And he’s asking us to do it with a heart filled with his love.

If Moses were here, he’d tell us, “By the power of the Holy Spirit, you are a prophet. So get out there and proclaim God’s word to a hurting world. I wish that every member of the Church would take up this call.”

“Lord, help me to be your prophet.”

Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-14
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Archdiocese of Washington

Of Friends and Foes: A Homily for the 26th Sunday of the Year

Msgr. Charles Pope • September 29, 2018 •

In this Sunday’s Gospel there is a certain tension between legitimate freedom and truths we must insist upon. We also have a lot to learn in sorting out friends and foes.

I. Foe or Friend? – The text begins, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.”

The Apostle John’s consternation bespeaks confused priorities. Task number one is to advance the Kingdom of God, taking back territory from the Evil One. If someone can drive out demons in Jesus’ name, we ought to praise the Lord! Such a one is not a foe; the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The apostles seem more concerned with pedigree and control. Perhaps notions of personal advancement, power, prestige, and pride beset them as well. Souls being set free seems to have been a secondary concern.

Misplaced priorities! There should be more about Jesus and His Kingdom, less about me and my glory. Don’t stop others from driving out demons. Help them, or at least get out of the way!

This command not to prevent him is of course a general norm not an absolute one. There are certain things that the Lord gave only for the apostles to do. It was they, not just anyone, who were to preach and formally teach in Jesus’ name, to baptize, to confirm, to celebrate the Eucharist, to forgive sins, to lead with authority, and to appoint successors and helpers by the laying on of hands. In addition, the Rite of Major Exorcism is reserved to appointed priests, though many lay people have charisms to heal and to drive away the influence of demons through approved methods such as unbound and other forms of deprecatory prayers.

Thus, even though priests have certain exclusive duties, it is foolish to think that every gift is reserved for the priesthood. Lay people bring many gifts: prayer, holiness, and the abilities to teach and to share leadership in parishes. They bring practical skills, too, such as administration, organization, and works of charity.

“Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth” are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: “the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.” Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #819).

Indeed, I have found that many wonderful Catholics come to us from the evangelical denominations. They bring some many gifts with them. They love Scripture. They love Jesus. They have a wealth of zeal. In the Rite of Reception, we thank God for the communities where they first learned of Christ even as we welcome them to full unity with the Church.

Thus, some whom we see as foes are actually friends in the Lord’s eyes. We should rejoice in the graces of Christ wherever we find them and seek to find full unity in the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.

II. Friends are Fundamental – The Lord admonishes the apostles, Whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will surely not lose his reward.

This, of course, implies that the apostles will in fact need help, encouragement, and basic necessities as they undertake to proclaim the gospel. Scripture says, Woe to the solitary man! For if he should fall, he has no one to lift him up (Ecclesiastes 4:10).

The attitude of wanting to do everything oneself is not only prideful, it is foolish and impossible. We must accept that one of the provisions necessary for those who would be prophets is the help and support of others.

Neither can the Church blithely reject the help of medical science, psychotherapy, or of the business or government sectors. Other things being equal, there can and should be a proper partnership with these areas of human knowledge and expertise. While distinctions must be made and errors rejected, there is a partnership that should not be rejected. When the ship is sinking (and it is, since the fall of man) it’s all hands on deck.

III. Falsehood is the Fiercest Foe – Through the use of several analogies, the Lord illustrates just how serious it is to lead others into sin by scandal or false teaching: Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

Here, then, are the worst enemy of all: false teachers and those who give scandal. The “little ones” Jesus refers to here are not just children; all of his disciples are His “little ones.” The Lord uses the strongest language possible here to express His wrath at those who lead His disciples into sin by false teaching or seduction. It would be better for them to die or be maimed than to do such a thing. The Lord says in Jeremiah, Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, declares the LORD. … You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD (Jeremiah 23:1-3). My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place (Jeremiah 50:6).

Yes, to mislead or give scandal to God’s people is so awful that Jesus says being cast into the sea with a millstone around one’s neck is a better option. Otherwise, hellfire and worms will be their lot. Jesus says that it is more serious to sin in this way than to lose a hand or a foot or an eye! Elsewhere, Jesus calls false shepherds “wolves.”

The ancient prophets held up the sins of the people before them and called them to return to the Lord wholeheartedly. What about us? In the midst of a moral meltdown and a cultural collapse there are too many silent pulpits. Even more deplorable are those shepherds who outright mislead the faithful through false teaching, deliberate ambiguity, and bad example. Too many today make light of, or excuse, what God calls sin. These problems are not limited to the clergy. They are found in Catholic schools where the faith is contested rather than taught. They are also found among parents who have strayed from the faith and mislead their children.

All of us in any leadership position should consider the strong language Jesus uses here. We do well to ponder whether we are a friend of the Lord or an enemy. The Book of James warns, You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4). A false or misleading teacher or one who gives scandal to God’s people is the worst sort of enemy to God.

The Gospel opened with John seeing a foe where there was really a friend. Jesus says, in effect, “That’s not what an enemy looks like. He’s driving out demons, and that’s good work for the Kingdom. Do you want to know what an enemy really looks like? Anyone who causes one of my disciples to sin is an enemy in my eyes.”

True friends of the Lord drive out demons by holy teaching, good example, and prayer. Enemies of the Lord drive in demons by false teaching, bad example, and outright seduction. True friends of the Lord lift Him up for all the world to see.

Enjoy this old hymn; try not to tap your toe while you listen!

Don’t exalt the preacher,
don’t exalt the pew,
Preach the Gospel simple,
full, and free;
Prove Him and you will find his promise is true,
“I’ll draw all men unto Me.”

Lift Him up, lift Him up;
Still He speaks from eternity:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
Will draw all men unto Me.”

Video

https://www.theworkofgod.org/Devotns/Euchrist/HolyMass/gospels.asp?key=28

Year B - 26th Sunday in ordinary time

The reality of Hell
Mark 9:37-42, 44, 46-47
Mark 9:37-42, 44, 46-47
37 John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name, one who does not follow us, and we forbade him.
38 But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that does a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me.
39 For he that is not against you, is for you.
40 For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
41 And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it would be better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he was cast into the sea.
42 And if your hand scandalizes you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire:
44 And if your foot scandalizes thee, cut it off. It is better for you to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire:
46 And if your eye scandalizes you, pluck it out. It is better for you with one eye to enter into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire:
47 Where the worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
How powerful is my name, that even those who were not united to us, but who believed with faith; had the power against the devil. In reality when my name is mentioned, I come immediately to the one who calls me, this is why he who seeks me finds me and I allow him to know me for his own good.

For every activity that you have, invoke my name and allow me to share my presence with you, nothing glorifies me more than to be desired in your lives. Something that I dislike is spiritual jealousy, since many who are close to me believe that they have the right to judge and stop others from coming close to me also. My house is the house of everyone, I do not judge by appearances, I look in the heart of every human being and I see the potential of repentance in each one. My desire for all is that they stay away from evil and come to me, I take care of giving them the transformation to holiness.

Those who work for my Kingdom will be rewarded eternally, since my money is not of this world, and my fortune enriches all those who desire me and make efforts to live holy lives bearing my light to the kingdom of darkness. Those who because of pride fall into error; become the enmity that tries to destroy the efforts of my elected, poor for them if they don’t come to reason and listen to my call.

My Mercy goes beyond the understanding of the human mind, my benevolence goes even to the enemies of my Kingdom, the opportunity to be with me remains open to everyone and the only petition that I make is that you leave your evil ways behind, repent and begin to walk in my way.

I have said, if your hand, your eye or your foot are occasions for sin, cut them off, because it is better to enter heaven without one eye, or one hand or one foot that to be whole but thrown into hell to suffer by the worm that never dies and the fire that is never extinguished. Here I am putting emphasis in the reality of hell, the place of chastisement for all the rebels who do evil and despise my celestial offering. I don’t mean that someone should mutilate his body in order to punish himself; I am exaggerating the mortification that should be taken to avoid hell.

Any good thing from this world requires many sacrifices to be obtained. This is why I want to tell you that it is worth to deny oneself, to take up the cross and to mortify oneself as necessary in order to obtain the riches of eternal life.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Sunday Gospel Reflections

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Numbers 11:25-29 II: James 5:1-6

Gospel
Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48

³⁸ John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."
³⁹ But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.
⁴⁰ For he that is not against us is for us.
⁴¹ For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.
⁴² "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
⁴³ And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,
⁴⁸ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Interesting Details

(v.38) The fact that the exorcist was able to cast out demons "in the name of Jesus" showed that he recognized the power of Jesus. He was successful eventhough he was "not following us," meaning not a disciple. In contrast, the sons of Sceva invoked the name of Jesus unsuccessfully (Acts 19:13-16). The presumption is that one who does good deeds in Jesus name cannot be his enemy.
(v.42) Jesus uses strong metaphors to warn against leading simple Christians, "the little ones who believe in me," astray by shaking their faith. "A great millstone" is originally a "donkey millstone," that is very heavy and must be turned by donkeys instead of by hand. Death by drowning is a Roman punishment and thus repugnant to Jews.
(v.43) The word hell originally was "Gehenna." Gehenna was a ravine south of Jerusalem, where infants were offered in sacrifice to Moloch (Jer. 7:31). It was later used as a dump for refuse. As a site of ill-omen, it came to symbolize the place of future punishment.
(v.48) "where the worms do not die, and the fire is not quenched" is a quotation from Isaiah 66:24. It referred to Gehenna, with the image of maggots feeding on dung, and the perpetual burning of refuse.

One Main Point

Jesus instructs his disciples about how to be a witness of Christ. It involves tolerance for those who are not members of the Church: "whoever is not against us is for us" (v.40). At the same time, Jesus advocates intolerance for sin, as this is a matter of life versus death.

Reflections

In my daily life, where have I given bad example to others and thus "leading them astray?"
Which are the occasions, the situations that tend to lead me to my oft-repeated sins? How willing am I to avoid these tempting occasions/situations?

Daily Gospel Commentary

Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407)
priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
Homily 3 on First Corinthians

"He does not follow us": divisions make little ones stumble

"May you all speak the same thing, let there be no divisions among you." (1 Co 1:10). St. Paul says this because divided bodies of Christians cannot become separate entities, each entire within itself, but rather the One Body which originally existed perishes. If each church were a separate body, there might be many of them; but they are one body and divisions destroy it… After having dealt sharply with them by using the word "schism," Paul softens and soothes them, saying, "May you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Do not suppose," he adds, "that I mean harmony only in words, but harmony of one mind and one heart."

There is also such a thing as a harmony of opinions, where there is not yet harmony of deed and action; for instance when, though we have the same faith, but are not joined together in love. Such was the case at Corinth at that time, some choosing one leader, and some another. For this reason Paul says it is necessary to agree both in "mind" and in "judgment." For it was not from differences in faith that the schisms arose, but from human contentiousness. "It has been declared to me that there are contentions among you… Is Christ divided?" (1 Co 1:13).

A Christian Pilgrim

IT’S BETTER TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH ONE EYE THAN WITH TWO EYES TO BE THROWN INTO HELL

(A biblical refection on THE 26^th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME [YEAR B] – 30 September 2018)

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48

First Reading: Numbers 11:25-29; Psalms: Psalm 19:8,10,12-14; Second Reading: James 5:1-6

The Scripture Text

John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in My name will be able soon after to speak evil of Me. For he that is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48 RSV)

At one time, kings tried to marry the daughters of the king of a stronger nation because the stronger king would not likely declare war on a land where his daughter lived. However, kings who married foreign women often ended up worshipping their wife’s gods. In pagan countries, this did not cause a problem since pagans not only believed there were many gods but also often worshiped several gods at the same time. The Jews, on the other hand, believed there was only one true God. Therefore, Jewish kings who married foreign wives were exposing themselves to a dangerous influence that might lead them to be unfaithful to their Jewish beliefs. For this reason, the Old Testament prophets often warned the Jewish kings not to marry foreign women.

The Bible tells us that some of the Jewish kings did indeed take foreign wives and, as the prophets predicted, they began worshiping pagan gods. Because the pagans believed a few of these gods demanded human sacrifice, some Jewish kings sacrificed their own children to the gods in an attempt to appease them.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says that it would be better to cut off a hand and enter eternal life maimed than to end up in Gehenna with both hands intact. The Hebrew word Gehenna means “valley of Hinnom” which was a ravine located southeast of the city of Jerusalem where some Old Testament Jewish kings offered their children as holocaust sacrifices to the pagan god Molech. Its history led the Jews to believe the valley of Hinnom was good for nothing except for dumping garbage. Because the smell from the trash accumulating there was terrible and smoke from smoldering always covered the area. Gehenna was good only as a breeding place for worms thriving on the garbage.

Gehenna was so repulsive that some Jews who believed in a life after death used it as a symbol of the punishment awaiting all those who led wicked lives. Worms are those who were in Gehenna and flames continuously consumed them. According to some of the rabbis, the only relief came on the Sabbath, when God had mercy and caused the fires to cease. Biblical scholars sometimes translate Gehenna as “hell”, even though the two concepts differ in significant ways.

(Adapted from Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 208-209.)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You show Your almighty power in Your mercy and forgiveness. Continue to fill us with Your gifts of love. Help us to hurry toward the eternal life You promise and come to share in the joys of Your Kingdom. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for September 30, 2018:

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna.” (Mark 9:43) If your spouse is struggling with a sin, pray for them and encourage them to seek help.

Choosing Heaven or Hell: It’s Up to Us

Pastor’s Column

26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 30, 2018

“If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out! Better to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna.”

Mark 9:48

Jesus uses very stark language in today’s gospel, which he repeats no less than three times for emphasis. Better to have only one foot, hand, or eye than to have two of each and go to hell! Is this hyperbole? Does Jesus really mean this?

In a sense it is easier to believe in heaven than it is to believe in hell, but Jesus talks about both of these realities quite frequently. On September 11 of this year, I watched a few videos from the World Trade Center Attacks that had never been seen before, and I realized that so many innocent people were condemned, by others, to a truly hellish death on earth, and for what purpose? We begin to live already on this earth in heaven or hell by precisely the way we use our hands, our mouths, our eyes, our actions.

In a sense, when we choose to sin deliberately against God, especially when others are habitually hurt by our actions, we are choosing a kind of hell on earth for ourselves and sometimes for others. It is almost like deliberately choosing to enter the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. What many people fail to realize is that we are all eternal beings that will live forever, and each of our choices, during the limited time we have on earth, have eternal consequences.

Jesus says plainly that if our eye causes us to sin, it is better to cut it out. This doesn’t mean to gouge our eyes out! It means watch what and who you are looking at. If I am addicted to internet or cable porn, maybe it’s time to cut out the cable TV or put restrictions on our phone. Is that really so radical if the alternative is to make choices that will lead eternally away from God?

Jesus also gives us examples of good choices as well. Whenever I have given a cup of cold water to one of Christ’s little ones, I have done this for him. Christ does not need us to do great or spectacular things for him; he simply wants us to do small acts of kindness out of love. Christ promises a reward for each of these small acts of kindness. The world would certainly be a nicer place if everyone realized they would be repaid in eternity!

The point of Jesus’ words today is that nothing in our lives is more important than getting to heaven. St. Therese of Lisieux says it well: Let us keep our eyes fixed on heaven, the one true object of our labors.

Father Gary

Reflections from Scott Hahn

To Belong to Christ: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-sixth Sunday Ordinary Time

Download Audio File

Moses Elects the Seventy Elders, Jacob de Wit, 1737

Readings:
Numbers 11:25–29
Psalm 19:8,10,12–14
James 5:1–6
Mark 9:38–48

Today’s Gospel begins with a scene that recalls a similar moment in the history of Israel, the episode recalled in today’s First Reading. The seventy elders who receive God’s Spirit through Moses prefigure the ministry of the apostles.

Like Joshua in the First Reading, John makes the mistake of presuming that only a select few are inspired and entrusted to carry out God’s plans. The Spirit blows where it wills (see John 3:8), and God desires to bestow His Spirit on all the people of God, in every nation under heaven (see Acts 2:5, 38).

God can and will work mighty deeds through the most unexpected and unlikely people. All of us are called to perform even our most humble tasks, such as giving a cup of water, for the sake of His name and the cause of His kingdom.

John believes he is protecting the purity of the Lord’s name. But, really, he’s only guarding his own privilege and status. It’s telling that the Apostles want to shut down the ministry of an exorcist. Authority to drive out demons and unclean spirits was one of the specific powers entrusted to the Twelve (see Mark 3:14–15; 6:7, 13).

Cleanse me from my unknown faults, we pray in today’s Psalm. Often, like Joshua and John, perhaps without noticing it, we cloak our failings and fears under the guise of our desire to defend Christ or the Church.

But as Jesus says today, instead of worrying about who is a real Christian and who is not, we should make sure that we ourselves are leading lives worthy of our calling as disciples (see Ephesians 1:4).

Does the advice we give, or the example of our actions, give scandal—causing others to doubt or lose faith? Do we do what we do with mixed motives instead of seeking only the Father’s will? Are we living, as this Sunday’s Epistle warns, for our own luxury and pleasure, and neglecting our neighbors?

We need to keep meditating on His Law, as we sing in today’s Psalm. We need to pray for the grace to detect our failings and to overcome them.

26th Sunday - "Who's in and who's out?"

"For whoever is not against us is for us"

Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48

The Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/093018.cfm

Back in 1988/89 I was attending a year long program through Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland to seek a Masters in Pastoral Counseling. It was a very full and challenging year but I loved all of it. In particular one of the most challenging things, at first, was the parish I was living in while just filling in a few Masses on the weekends in lieu of room and board. The name was “All Saints” parish and it was located in a section of Baltimore that was largely a mixed but safe neighborhood. But, once I arrived in Baltimore I quickly found out the parish itself was about 90% African American Catholics. The Pastor was Caucasian a native to Baltimore but the staff was mixed race.

Well, I had no special problem with that and enjoyed the diversity I had with them, although it was limited due to my schedule. But the first Sunday Mass I celebrated was done before an almost entirely black congregation. Here I was, the “white- boy” from Oregon deeply wondering what I might be able to say to folks I knew came from a very different cultural experience. Although I grew up in Chicago with a large black population my own personal world just never went there.

Well, I had to swallow my own insecurities and maybe subtle prejudice and venture forth. They were wonderful folks. Very accepting and supportive and once I heard an “Amen Father” from the congregation during a homily, I knew I was in. It was a very important cultural and human lesson for me and I am forever grateful. I was accepted without question and was able then to learn from my new friends about their cultural experience.

The ever present question about “who's in and who's out” begs an answer in this weekend's readings. The Book of Numbers find Joshua angered by the fact that Eldad and Medad have received a portion of the Spirit bestowed on Moses and shared by God with many others. They had left the camp yet: ". . . the Spirit came to rest on them also and they prophesied in the camp." (Nm 11: 27). "How dare they!" cried Joshua to Moses, “stop them,” Joshua implies.

Moses inclusive perspective does not see a limit to God's intent. As Jesus in the Gospel who reminds his own Apostles: "There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name, who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us." (Mk 9: 43). Who's in and who's out seems to have its own roots long ago. To exclude or to include in our lives as Christians seems to have only one answer; that of Jesus who reached out to invite and include all to salvation. Christ is the invitation of God to see our lives differently; free of boundaries in regards to God's love and mercy - and to live in the world with that face.

Still, the ever present temptation to divide ourselves into warring camps or tribes is sadly becoming common these days. We see it in politics and we find it even in the Church. People even leave the Church because of political positions placing the god of politics and ideology above the God of life and covenant. We live in an often schizophrenic world.

There are signs of great hope, however. One of the most fundamental principles of Catholic social teaching, for example, is our effort to seek the common good. This means that I need to be open to others, to compromise, to recognize that a greater good is at stake other than my own narrow opinion or position. What is best for the common good of a family, a parish, a Church, a nation? This higher moral principle should always challenge us when we find ourselves digging in to our particular viewpoints or opinions.

In Mark, Jesus basically tells John, when John confronted Jesus about others not of Jesus’ inner circle, who seemed to be taking away their show in exorcising demons in Jesus’ name. “Stop them,” John tells Jesus, “he does not follow us.” Our Lord’s answer is telling: “Do not prevent him.” They are doing the same good we are. They’re not competing with us, they’re sharing in the same work of good that we are. They are contributing to the common good beyond our own circle and that’s a good thing for everyone. This isn’t some exclusive club. They’re not against us but rather they are for us so what’s the problem, John?”

Such moments of a reality check bring us to see where we may be falling short in our own lives. The second part of the Gospel contains some harsh language about a “millstone were put around his neck. . .” About the “fires of Gehenna” and about cutting off your hand and plucking out your eye if they cause you to sin. I’m not sure what we are doing with our hands and eyes but I gulp hard at the prospect. What might this have to do with the earlier part of the Gospel lesson about being more tolerant and inclusive?

It could be, in good strong rabbinical style, that Jesus is reminding us of where we may need to do a bit of cutting back. We may think we have all the answers or all the privileges or all the expertise necessary but in the end it’s really more about holding on tightly to my own small world. This goes beyond the Church to a place of business or even on the sports field or certainly in my own sense of self-importance.

The hands and eyes that need to be cut off may be our own pride or prejudice. I think I “see” all that is needed and refuse to see other options. I think I can handle this myself and have no need of other helping hands which means I have to let go of my own sense of control. Might be a good examination of conscience here. To seek the common good of all is upmost in our decisions. What is best for the entire community and not just for a few?

Jesus implies clearly in the Gospel that everyone who does good for others reflects his own work. We can do this through organizations and parishes and we can do good through gathering likeminded people for a higher moral purpose, such as the dignity of other persons. Later in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 25 we hear Jesus speak of feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, etc. The corporal works of mercy as we formally call them are not just a Catholic principle by any means.

To respect the human person, especially the most vulnerable, innocent and defenseless is a good that should know no division. The other day I attended an annual luncheon with 700 other likeminded people who in a variety of ways contribute through our local Catholic Charities to the needy and suffering. It was an impressive and refreshing gathering of people from all walks of faith who were blind to those differences and could see very clearly the need before them. What a beautiful example of Jesus own words embodied from the Gospel today. That’s what all this means.

Moses questions Joshua to put aside his jealousy and shares with him: “Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!” Would it not be great if everyone would come together for a common good and purpose – that of doing good in the Lord’s name.

Our Eucharist reminds us that we are all invited to seek good over evil, unity over division, humility over pride, love over hate, and forgiveness over revenge. God’s same spirit is available to all and to all those we include and welcome with us.

Let’s “meet one another doing good,” as our Pope Francis once reminded us.

O God, who manifest your almighty power

above all by pardoning and showing mercy,

bestow your grace abundantly upon us

and make those hastening to attain your promises

heirs to the treasures of heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

(Collect of Mass)