Posted on 10/12/2018 8:55:16 PM PDT by Salvation
KEYWORDS: catholic; lk11; ordinarytime; prayer;
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From: Galatians 3:22-29
The Law and the Promise (Continuation)
[23] Now before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint
until faith should be revealed. [24] So that the law was our custodian until Christ
came, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But now that faith has come, we
are no longer under a custodian; [26] for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God,
through faith. [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there
is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] And if you
are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
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Commentary:
21-25. “But the scripture consigned all things to sin”: it is not easy to understand
this phrase but its meaning becomes clearer in the context of the whole passage:
God reveals that all men are under the power of sin, Jews as well as Gentiles,
despite the Jews having received the Law (cf. Rom 3:10-18). The reason this is
so is, again, the inability of the Law to confer justification; the Law had no power
to free us from the devil, sin or death. But now, in the fullness of time, God’s pur-
pose in giving the Law is made manifest — namely, to protect and guide mankind
during its minority, rather as a governess or tutor looks after a child until he has
grown up. The tutor keeps an eye on the child: the child cannot do whatever he
likes but must be guided by his teacher. And so it is with mankind: it was a mi-
nor, of whom the Law was the custodian, so to speak; but when the fullness of
time came God sent his son Jesus Christ, who set us free from sin, from death
and from the Law itself, our tutor. That is why the Apostle says, “Now that faith
has come, we are no longer under a custodian.” This faith is the new life which
has taken over from the harsh discipline of the Law.
To us, centuries later, these arguments and teachings of St Paul’s may seem
irrelevant. We need to put ourselves in the position of a Jew of his time — a zea-
lous upholder of the Law, and yet unable to cope with the sheer weight of all its
precepts and accretions — who, now that he has converted to faith in Christ, has
a real sense of liberation: he has been freed from all his old shackles and is now
eager to show his former Jewish brothers that they too can attain the same free-
dom in Christ Jesus.
24. The Law, like the whole of the Old Testament, had this function in relation to
the New — to prepare the way for its promulgation. Everything in the books of the
Old Testament refers directly or indirectly to our Lord Jesus Christ and his work
of redemption: the two Testaments are intimately connected, as Tradition tea-
ches and the Second Vatican Council reminds us: “God, the inspirer and author
of the books of both Testaments, in his wisdom has so brought it about that the
New should be hidden in the Old and that the Old should be made manifest in
the New. For, although Christ founded the New Covenant in his blood (cf. Lk 22:
20; 1 Cor 11:25), still the books of the Old Testament, all of them caught up into
the Gospel message, attain and show forth their full meaning in the New Testa-
ment (cf. Mt 5:17, Lk 24:27; Rom 16:25-26; 2 Cor 3:14-16) and, in their turn,
shed light on it and explain it” (”Dei Verbum”, 16).
27. St John of Avila, commenting on this passage, says, “The Holy Spirit was
not content with saying that we are bathed and anointed: here he says that we
are clothed, and the clothing we are given is not just something beautiful and
costly: it is Jesus Christ himself, who is the sum total of all beauty, all value,
all richness, etc. What he means is that the beauty of Jesus Christ, his justice,
his grace, his riches, his splendor, shine out from us with the splendor of the
sun and is reflected as in the purest of mirrors” (”Lecciones Sobre Gal, ad loc.”).
St Paul uses this metaphor of our being decked out in Christ in many other pas-
sages (cf. Rom 13:14; 1 Cor 15:43; Eph 4:24; 6:11; Col 3:10; etc.) to describe
the intimate union between the baptized person and Christ, a union so intense
that the Christian can be said to be “another Christ”.
28. In the order of nature, it may be said, all men are radically equal: as descen-
dants of Adam, we are born in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26-27).
The different functions which people have in the life of society do not alter this
basic, natural equality. From this point of view there is no real difference, nor
should there be, between one person and another, no difference even between
man and woman: both are made in the image and likeness of God.
In the order of grace, which the Redemption inaugurates, this essential, original
equality was restored by Christ, who became man and died on the Cross to
save all. Bl. John Paul II points out that this true meaning of the dignity of man is
enhanced by the Redemption: “In the mystery of the Redemption man becomes
newly ‘expressed’ and, in a way, is newly created. He is newly created! ‘There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor fe-
male; for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28). The man who wishes to un-
derstand himself thoroughly — and not just in accordance with immediate, partial,
often superficial, and even illusory standards and measures of his being — must
with his unrest, uncertainty and even his weakness and sinfulness, with his life
and death, draw near to Christ.He must, so to speak, enter into him with all his
own self, he must ‘appropriate’ and assimilate the whole of the reality of the In-
carnation and Redemption in order to find himself” (”Redemptor Hominis”, 10).
From this radical equality of all men is derived that universal fraternity which
should govern human relations: “Our Lord has come to bring peace, good news
and life to all. Not only to the rich, nor only to the poor. Not only to the wise, nor
only to the simple. To everyone. To the brethren, for brothers we are, children of
the same Father, God. So there is only one race, the race of the children of God.
There is only one color, the color of the children of God. And there is only one
language, the language which speaks to the heart and to the mind, without the
noise of words, making us know God and love one another” (St. J. Escriva,
“Christ Is Passing By”, 106).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Luke 11:27-28
Responding to the Word of God
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
27-28. These words proclaim and praise the Blessed Virgin’s basic attitude of
soul. As the Second Vatican Council explains: “In the course of her Son’s prea-
ching she [Mary] received the words whereby, in extolling a Kingdom beyond the
concerns and ties of flesh and blood, He declared blessed those who heard and
kept the word of God (cf. Mark 3:35; Luke 11:27-28) as she was faithfully doing
(cf. Luke 2:19-51)” (”Lumen Gentium”, 58). Therefore, by replying in this way
Jesus is not rejecting the warm praise this good lady renders His Mother; He ac-
cepts it and goes further, explaining that Mary is blessed particularly because
she has been good and faithful in putting the word of God into practice. “It was a
complement to His Mother on her “fiat”, ‘be it done’ (Luke 1:38). She lived it sin-
cerely, unstintingly, fulfilling its every consequence, but never amid fanfare, rather
in the hidden and silent sacrifice of each day” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing
By”, 177). See the note on Luke 1:34-38.
[Note on Luke 1:34-38 states:
34-38. Commenting on this passage St. John Paul II said: “’Virgo fidelis’, the faith-
ful virgin. What does this faithfulness of Mary mean? What are the dimensions of
this faithfulness? The first dimension is called search. Mary was faithful first of
all when she began, lovingly, to seek the deep sense of God’s plan in her and for
the world. ‘Quomodo fiet?’ How shall this be?, she asked the Angel of the An-
nunciation [...].”
“The second dimension of faithfulness is called reception, acceptance. The ‘quo-
modo fiet?’ is changed, on Mary’s lips, to a ‘fiat’: Let it be done, I am ready, I ac-
cept. This is the crucial moment of faithfulness, the moment in which man per-
ceives that he will never completely understand the ‘how’: that there are in God’s
plan more areas of mystery than of clarity; that is, however he may try, he will
never succeed in understanding it completely [...].”
“The third dimension of faithfulness is consistency to live in accordance with what
one believes; to adapt one’s own life to the object of one’s adherence. To accept
misunderstanding, persecutions, rather than a break between what one practises
and what one believes: this is consistency [...].”
“But all faithfulness must pass the most exacting test, that of duration. Therefore,
the fourth dimension of faithfulness is constancy. It is easy to be consistent for
a day or two. It is difficult and important to be consistent for one’s whole life. It is
easy to be consistent in the hour of enthusiasm, it is difficult to be so in the hour
of tribulation. And only a consistency that lasts throughout the whole life can be
called faithfulness. Mary’s ‘fiat’ in the Annunciation finds its fullness in the silent
‘fiat’ that she repeats at the foot of the Cross” (”Homily in Mexico City Cathedral”,
26 January 1979).]
*********************************************************************************************
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.
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
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Galatians 3:22-29 © |
There are no more distinctions: all are one in Christ Jesus |
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Responsorial Psalm |
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Psalm 104(105):2-7 © |
Gospel Acclamation | Jn14:23 |
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Or: | Lk11:28 |
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Gospel | Luke 11:27-28 © |
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'Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!' |
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The day the sun danced
Luke | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
Luke 11 |
|||
27. | And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. | Factum est autem, cum hæc diceret : extollens vocem quædam mulier de turba dixit illi : Beatus venter qui te portavit, et ubera quæ suxisti. | εγενετο δε εν τω λεγειν αυτον ταυτα επαρασα τις γυνη φωνην εκ του οχλου ειπεν αυτω μακαρια η κοιλια η βαστασασα σε και μαστοι ους εθηλασας |
28. | But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. | At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud. | αυτος δε ειπεν μενουνγε μακαριοι οι ακουοντες τον λογον του θεου και φυλασσοντες αυτον |
Pray for Pope Francis.
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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.
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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