#and give praise to the Son of God. (Ps. 32: 1)

[vigilantkilliforniakatholixxx]

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Wed May 29th, 2024 ... Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

_________

1 Pt 1:18-25

Beloved:

Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,

handed on by your ancestors,

not with perishable things like silver or gold

but with the precious Blood of Christ

as of a spotless unblemished Lamb.

He was known before the foundation of the world

but revealed in the final time for you,

who through him believe in God

who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,

so that your faith and hope are in God.

Since you have purified yourselves

by obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love,

love one another intensely from a pure heart.

You have been born anew,

not from perishable but from imperishable seed,

through the living and abiding word of God, for:

"All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory like the flower of the field;

the grass withers,

and the flower wilts;

but the word of the Lord remains forever."

This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

Responsorial Psalm

______________

Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;

praise your God, O Zion.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;

he has blessed your children within you.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has granted peace in your borders;

with the best of wheat he fills you.

He sends forth his command to the earth;

swiftly runs his word!

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,

his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

He has not done thus for any other nation;

his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia

_______

Mk 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Son of Man came to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

________

Mk 10:32-45

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,

and Jesus went ahead of them.

They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.

Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them

what was going to happen to him.

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man

will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,

and they will condemn him to death

and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,

spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,

but after three days he will rise."

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,

came to Jesus and said to him,

"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."

He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"

They answered him,

"Grant that in your glory

we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."

Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.

Can you drink the chalice that I drink

or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

They said to him, "We can."

Jesus said to them, "The chalice that I drink, you will drink,

and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;

but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give

but is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.

Jesus summoned them and said to them,

"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles

lord it over them,

and their great ones make their authority over them felt.

But it shall not be so among you.

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;

whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.

For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many."

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

In today’s gospel Jesus provides a clear message to his Apostles on what will be happening to him but they struggle with understanding Jesus’s message. In fact, James and John in ways that are so characteristic of our human imperfection ask to have a place of honor at Jesus side; he tells them Mark 10: 40 …but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared”…with that the Apostles become indignant….but Jesus reminds them….Mark 10: 43….whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; Mark 10: 44 …whoever wishes to be first among you will be the servant of all; Mark 10: 45….for the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve…..

In Jesus’s message to his Apostles, he is loving, patient, kind and so understanding. He understands how our ego can get in the way of everything. Work-sports-family-service-religion-spirituality. I can see my ego in play everywhere.  Do I do enough?  Do I need to do more? What will my family/friend/co-workers think? What will my legacy be?  However, Jesus message remains simple....Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest….

Jesus repeats this message of service throughout the Gospels.

In the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 20: 26-28

It shall not be so among you. But whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

In the Gospel of John 

John 13:15

After washing His disciples' feet — an act of love, humility, and service — He encourages us to follow His lead and serve one another. "I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. 

These Gospel readings provide an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of "faithful service". A devoted and helpful follower; to be humble before God; to be ready to act when God nudges or provides inspiration; to help meet the needs of others; to remember it is not about money or rewards or ego; to generously offer skills and strengths to those who need help without exception and without prejudices.  These meanings evoke many memories of kind and selfless acts of service I have observed for the past days, weeks and months. 

Memories:

A young man after working all day goes to his fiancée's grandfathers' community and tills and plants a garden for those who live there so they can have fresh vegetables;

A mom who just found out her 6 week old fetus has no heartbeat and reaches out to family who send their love and support;

A 95 year old Father who lives independently calls his 69 year daughter 3 x a day to make sure she is ok while she is sick with bronchitis;

A friend organizes a meal train for a dear friend whose life partner of 30 plus years passed into eternity;

A aunt organizes a trip for her sister, niece and nephews. The first one in over 4 years. One they would never be able to afford;

A woman provides daily communion to a lifelong colleague in her transition from life to eternity;

A friend reaches out to a circle of 30 plus year work friends to share her grief of her husband’s diagnosis. They respond with love and kindness. 

Two sisters reach out to a distant brother to keep him close as he journeys through his stage 4 melanoma diagnosis.

Let's pray ...

Jesus serves and Christ followers serve with love and devotion everyday…our lives are all touched. Let's recognize these gifts; let us thank Jesus for the message that continues to light our hearts on fire. We are servants, we are to love one another, we are to be kind to one another, do this in the name of Jesus.  

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat

(December 12, 1779 – May 25, 1865)

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s Story

The legacy of Madeleine Sophie Barat can be found in the more than 100 schools operated by her Society of the Sacred Heart, institutions known for the quality of the education made available to the young.

Sophie herself received an extensive education, thanks to her brother Louis, 11 years older and her godfather at baptism. Himself a seminarian, Louis decided that his younger sister would likewise learn Latin, Greek, history, physics and mathematics—always without interruption and with a minimum of companionship. By age 15, she had received a thorough exposure to the Bible, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church and theology. Despite the oppressive regime Louis imposed, young Sophie thrived and developed a genuine love of learning.

Meanwhile, this was the time of the French Revolution and of the suppression of Christian schools. The education of the young, particularly young girls, was in a troubled state. Sophie, who had discerned a call to the religious life, was persuaded to become a teacher. She founded the Society of the Sacred Heart, which focused on schools for the poor as well as boarding schools for young women of means. Today, co-ed Sacred Heart schools also can be found, along with schools exclusively for boys.

In 1826, her Society of the Sacred Heart received formal papal approval. By then she had served as superior at a number of convents. In 1865, she was stricken with paralysis; she died that year on the feast of the Ascension.

Madeleine Sophie Barat was canonized in 1925. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on May 25.

Reflection

__________

Madeleine Sophie Barat lived in turbulent times. She was only 10 when the Reign of Terror began. In the wake of the French Revolution, rich and poor both suffered before some semblance of normality returned to France. Born to some degree of privilege, Sophie received a good education. It grieved her that the same opportunity was being denied to other young girls, and she devoted herself to educating them, whether poor or well-to-do. We who live in an affluent country can follow her example by helping to ensure to others the blessings we have enjoyed.

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat is a Patron Saint of:

Educators/Teachers

***

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[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

1st February >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Feast of Saint Brigid, Abbess, Secondary Patron of Ireland

And/Or 

Wednesday, Fourth Week in Ordinary Time.

Feast of Saint Brigid, Abbess, Secondary Patron of Ireland

Either:

First Reading Job 31:16-20,24-25,31-32 Have I been insensible to the needs of the poor?

Have I been insensible to poor men’s needs, or let a widow’s eyes grow dim? Or taken my share of bread alone, not giving a share to the orphan? I, whom God has fostered father-like, from childhood, and guided since I left my mother’s womb. Have I ever seen a wretch in need of clothing, or a beggar going naked, without his having cause to bless me from his heart, as he felt the warmth of the fleece from my lambs?

Have I put all my trust in gold, from finest gold sought my security? Have I ever gloated over my great wealth, or the riches that my hands have won?

The people of my tent, did they not say, ‘Is there a man he has not filled with meat’? No stranger ever had to sleep outside, my door was always open to the traveller.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or:

First Reading Ephesians 3:14-21 A prayer that faithful may know the love of Christ.

This is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name:

Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.

Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 106 (107)

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

The Lord changes desert into streams, thirsty ground into springs of water. There he settles the hungry and they build a city to dwell in.

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

They sow fields and plant their vines; these yield crops for the harvest. He blesses them; they grow in numbers. He does not let their herds decrease.

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

But he raises the needy from distress; makes families numerous as a flock. The upright see it and rejoice but all who do wrong are silenced.

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

Gospel Acclamation 1 John 4:12

Alleluia, alleluia! As long as we love one another, God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. Alleluia!

Gospel Luke 6:32-38 Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Ps 106 (107):35-38, 41-42. R/. v. 1

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

----------------------------------

Wednesday, Fourth of Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15 God is training you as his sons.

In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of death.

Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly; but do not get discouraged when he reprimands you. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons. Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? Of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, and far from pleasant; but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness. So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will not be wrenched, it will grow strong again. Always be wanting peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a whole community.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 102(103):1-2,13-14,17-18

R/ The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.

R/ The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him; for he knows of what we are made, he remembers that we are dust.

R/ The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear; his justice reaches out to children’s children when they keep his covenant in truth.

R/ The love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear.

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 4:4

Alleluia, alleluia! Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Alleluia!

Or: John 10:27

Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me. Alleluia!

Gospel Mark 6:1-6 'A prophet is only despised in his own country'.

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings of Sunday, August 25, 2024

Reading 1

JOS 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges, and their officers.  When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people: "If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.  As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." But the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods.  For it was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery.  He performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among the peoples through whom we passed.  Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."

Responsorial Psalm

PS 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21

R./ Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. R./ Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The LORD has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry. The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. R./ Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. R./ Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Many are the troubles of the just one, but out of them all the LORD delivers him; he watches over all his bones; not one of them shall be broken. R./ Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reading 2

EPH 5:21-32

Brothers and sisters: Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body.  As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.  So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it,  even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Gospel

JN 6:60-69

Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?  It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.  And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"  Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

[tj-van-heerden]

Blameless; walk with God - inspiration to righteousness.

These verses below are worth reading. They are an inspiration unto righteousness.

Gen 5:22, 24 [WEB] After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and daughters… Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.

Gen 6:9 [WEB] Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.

Gen 7:1 [WEB] Yahweh said to Noah, “Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.

Gen 17:1 [WEB] When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.

Deut 4:8 [WEB] What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?

Deut 6:25 [WEB] It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all these commandments before Yahweh our God, as he has commanded us.

Job 1:1, 8 [WEB] There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil… Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil.”

Ps 5:12 [WEB] For you will bless the righteous. Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.

Ps 11:7 [WEB] For Yahweh is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright shall see his face.

Ps 15:1, 2 [WEB] Yahweh, who shall dwell in your sanctuary? Who shall live on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart

Ps 23:3 [WEB] He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Ps 32:11 [WEB] Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!

Ps 33:1 [WEB] Rejoice in Yahweh, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright.

Ps 34:15 [WEB] Yahweh’s eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry.

Ps 34:19 [WEB] Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.

Ps 55:22 [WEB] Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

Ps 68:3 [WEB] But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

Ps 69:28 [WEB] Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

Ps 84:11 [WEB] For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.

Ps 85:10 [WEB] Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Ps 118:20 [WEB] This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.

Ps 119:1-3 [WEB] Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh’s law. Blessed are those who keep his statutes, who seek him with their whole heart. Yes, they do nothing wrong. They walk in his ways.

Matt 5:6 [WEB] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Matt 5:10 [WEB] Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matt 6:33 [WEB] But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matt 13:41-43 [WEB] The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Matt 13:49, 50 [WEB] So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

1Cor 1:8 [WEB] who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Cor 6:9 [WEB] Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived…

Eph 5:9, 10 [WEB] for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.

Phil 2:15 [WEB] that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world…

1Thess 3:13 [WEB] to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

1Thess 5:23 [WEB] May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Thess 2:11, 12 [WEB] Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2Tim 2:19 [WEB] However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

2Tim 3:16 [WEB] Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness…

Heb 10:38, 39 [WEB] But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

Jas 5:16 [WEB] …The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

1Pet 3:12 [WEB] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

1Pet 4:18 [WEB] “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”

2Pet 2:4, 5 [WEB] For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment; and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly…

2Pet 2:21 [WEB] For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

2 Pet 3:14 [WEB] Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in peace, without defect and blameless in his sight.

1John 2:28, 29 [WEB] Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

1John 3:7, 8 [WEB] Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Rev 19:7, 8 [WEB] Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

[akacatholicism]

Propers: Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

Today is the 8th Sunday After Pentecost.

Propers of the Mass, as in the 1962 Missal:

Introit: Ps. 47:10-11: We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple; according to Thy Name, O God, so also is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of justice. Ps. ibid. 2. Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of God, in his holy mountain.

Collect: Graciously grant to us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the spirit to think and do always such things as are rightful: that we, who cannot exist without Thee, may be enabled to live according to Thy will.

Gradual: Ps 30:3: Be Thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of refuge, to save me. (Ps. 70:1). In Thee, O God, have I hoped: O Lord, let me never be confounded. Alleluia, alleluia. (Ps. 47:2) Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of our God in His holy mountain. Alleluia.

Epistle: Romans 8:12-17. "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. [14] For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father). [16] For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God. [17] And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.

Gospel: Luke 16:1-9: [1] And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. [2] And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer. [3] And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed. [4] I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. [5] Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? [6] But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. [7] Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty. [8] And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. [9] And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings."

Offertory: Ps. 17:28, 32: Thou wilt save the humble people, O Lord, and wilt bring down the eyes of the proud; for who is God but Thou, O Lord?

Secret: Accept, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gifts of Thine own bounty, which we bring Thee: that these holy and sacred Mysteries may by the working of the power of Thy grace, sanctify us in our conduct of this present life and bring us to everlasting joys.

Preface: Of the Holy Trinity.

Communion: Ps. 33:9: Taste and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in Him.

Postcommunion: May this heavenly Mystery avail us, O Lord, for renewal of mind and body: that we may enjoy the fruits of that which we celebrate.

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Vigil of All Saints: Missa “Júdicant sancti gentes”

In several traditional chapels today, there is the observance of the Vigil of All Saints for All Hallows Eve. This day was actually established to honor the many martyrs who gave their lives for Christ and His Church. Evolved through the centuries, this explains why this feast is taken from the Common of the Martyrs. The preparing by a solemn vigil for the celebration of All Saints’ Day, probably dates from the Eighth Century, when November 1st was fixed for the celebration of the feast. The fast on this vigil is of universal observance. As on other vigils Holy Mass is celebrated in purple vestments, and the liturgy throughout is of a penitential character.

INTROIT Wisdom 3: 8

The saints judge nations, and rule over people: and the Lord their God shall reign forever. (Ps. 32: 1) Rejoice in the Lord, ye just: praise becometh the upright.  v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

COLLECT

O Lord, our God, multiply Thy graces upon us, and grant that joy may follow in the holy praise of those whose glorious festival we anticipate. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.

Second Collect of the Holy Ghost Let us pray. O Lord, our God, multiply Thy graces upon us, and grant that joy may follow in the holy praise of those whose glorious festival we anticipate.

Collect for the Intercession of the Saints Let us pray. Defend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all dangers of mind and body: and through the intercession of the blessed and glorious Mary, ever Virgin, mother of God, of St Joseph, of Thy holy apostles, Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, in Thy loving-kindness grant us safety and peace; that, all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R. Amen.

EPISTLE Apocalypse 5: 6-12

Lesson from the Book of The Apocalypse of Blessed John the Apostle. In those days, Behold, I, John, saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb, standing as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And He came, and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat on the throne: and when He had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints; and they sung a new canticle, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; because Thou wert slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in Thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us to God a kingdom and priests; and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures and the ancients, and the number of them was thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and benediction for ever and ever. Amen.

GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 149: 5, 1

The saints shall rejoice in glory; they shall be joyful in their beds. V. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle; let His praise be in the assembly of the saints.

GOSPEL Luke 6: 17-23

At that time, Jesus coming down from the mountain stood in a plain place, and the company of His disciples, and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the seacoast both of Tyre and Sidon, who were come to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases. And they that were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the multitude sought to touch Him, for virtue went out from Him, and healed all. And He, lifting up His eyes on His disciples, said, “Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake: be glad in that day and rejoice, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven.”

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Psalm 149: 5, 6

The saints shall rejoice in glory, they shall be joyful in their beds; the high praises of God shall be in their mouths.

SECRET

We heap Thine altar with oblations. O Lord; grant, we beseech Thee, that they may profit for our salvation by the prayer of all Thy saints, to whose coming festival we hasten. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R. Amen.

Second Secret of the Holy Ghost Sanctify, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, the gifts we offer, and cleanse our hearts by the light of the Holy Ghost.

Secret for the Intercession of the Saints Graciously hear us, O God our Saviour, and, by virtue of this Sacrament, defend us from all enemies of soul and body, bestowing upon us Thy grace here and Thy glory hereafter. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, Forever and ever. R. Amen.

PREFACE of the Common

It is truly meet and just, and profitable unto salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord. Though whom the angels praise thy majesty, the dominions adore it, the powers are in awe. Which the heavens and the hosts of heaven together with the blessed seraphim joyfully do magnify. And do thou command that it be permitted to us join with them in confessing thee, while we say with lowly praise:

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Wisdom 3: 1

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of malice shall not touch them: in the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, but they are in peace.

POSTCOMMUNION

Having completed the sacraments and the joys of the earnestly desired festival, O Lord, we beseech Thee that we may be assisted by the prayers of those in whose loving remembrance they are offered. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.

Second Postcommunion of Holy Ghost Let us pray. May our hearts be cleansed, 0 Lord, by the inpouring of the Holy Spirit; may He render them fruitful by watering them with His Heavenly dew.

Postcommunion for the Intercession of the Saints Let us pray. May the gift of this Divine Sacrament which we have offered, cleanse us and defend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord; and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God, of St. Joseph, of Thy holy apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, free us from all iniquity and deliver us from all adversity. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R. Amen.

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01/16/2021 DAB Transcript

Gen 32:13-34:31, Matt 11:7-30, Ps 14:1-7, Pr 3:19-20

Today is the 16th day of January welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian, and it is great to be here with you as we close a week down together. We have 52 of these in here and so we reach these weekends and understand, yeah, this is one of them and so here we are. Kind of marks the time when we pay attention to that. It’s like. “O another week has gone by.” And before you know it, we’re months into the journey. And then just like that, it's Christmas. It just so quickly comes. But right now, we are laying the groundwork for how the Bible will unfold before us, and it has been a fantastic beginning to this new year. So, let's dive it. We’ve been reading from the New Living Translation this week, which is what we’ll do today. Genesis chapter 32 verse 13 through 34 verse 31.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for this week that we've been able to spend in Your word. We thank You for all of the things that You are revealing to us and showing us all of the things that start knitting themselves together in this story of transformation and redemption that we call the Bible, we thank You. Because these stories, these people that we are meeting, these people that we are getting to know, these are our spiritual ancestors. This how we got here, and we thank You for allowing us to look in upon our heritage but more importantly to watch the way You reveal Yourself over time, and to understand that this story continues, and we are a part of it right now. So, come Holy Spirit we pray in all of the things that we have learned and considered this week. Plant them in the soil of our hearts and in the areas that need cultivation, that need care the soil is not good soil. Come Holy Spirit, as we surrender to You make us good soil we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

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And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hey family this is Francine from Tennessee. My husband and I have Covid and he’s home from recovering from a blood clot in his lung and tonight he...he…he’s so sick and we’re waiting to get antibodies Tuesday, and this is Friday night. And I’m calling to ask prayer for his breathing to be what it needs to be and for his pickups to subside. They’re a rare side effect. And I am so thankful for you family and I appreciate your prayers. And I pray that the Lord will touch and help all of those who are sick and suffering and that he will heal and raise us up to live I healthy life. And I just appreciate the prayers so much. Thank you. His name is Danny Smith. Thank you.

Hi Daily Audio Bible this is Shannon in Southern California and I just heard Paul’s prayer request. He’s a longtime listener first time caller and he’s praying…he’s asking for prayer because his children…his children…say they don’t love him anymore. I’m working the same thing and I want to pray. I want to pray for Paul. And there was another young lady who called in and said that her daughter and she…her were having difficulties. And I want to tell you guys it’s been a long time that my daughter and I have not spoken, and I pray every day for their strength and for my strength and for reconciliation for clarity and I pray the Lord’s presence in their lives. And I pray that for you Paul. I pray that the Lord touch your children touch their hearts whisper to them to tell…and confirm that God loves you and loves them and I pray for reconciliation for your family. I pray for reunification Lord in the name of Jesus. I know that You can do it because I know You’re gonna do it for me and I thank you Lord. I thank you for every day. I thank you for…for allowing me to go through this because I know when you…when my reunification comes with my family, when we are reconciled it’s going to be so joyous and Your name will be praised. Thank you, Jesus. Paul, please, please continue to pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Hey family this is Debbie in Des Moines. Hey Paul, I was just listening to you talk about your children and how they said that they don’t like you anymore and don’t want to be around you. I want to tell you that they will come back. My son, I did not hear from him for 10 years. I lost a decade in not hearing from my son. He was very angry with me, very angry. And I prayed, you know, I just held onto the Lord and I just prayed and just put him in his hands. And it took 10 years, but he is back in my life now and now I am believing God for his salvation. Psalm 10:17, “Lord you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you hear their cries and comfort them. “Praise…praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comforts.” And that’s second Corinthians 1:3. Hang on…hang on to God’s word. Hang on, He hears you, He sees her tears, He sees your heart. He loves you. He will bring your children back to you. Happy...

Hey brothers and sisters, hello DABbers it is your brother from Indiana. I was just listening to the audio Bible from today, I don’t know what today is right now. And I was just encouraged to just kind of lift up a prayer for a sister who is in her last semester of college. I understand school can be a extremely stressful and unnerving time and I really just lift you up in prayer, praying the Holy Spirit would interceded for this prayer, that you would trust on God and in His resources and what He gives us, that being the armor of God, the spiritual fruits. May you look for God and may you know Him, and may you come to a relationship with Him giving Him your burdens because His yoke is light, and it is not heavy. As I heard when my brother say in Arizona, walk in the freedom Jesus provides. Sister, know that we are praying for you. Please, do not hesitate to ask to call on God. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Thank you, God. Thank you brothers...

Hey daily audio Bible family this is Billy from Montgomery with a Trinity stone. I wanted to put a prayer request out there for Kairos outside. It is a group of ladies that get together and they do kinda like we do Kairos inside, our prison ministry. They do a Kairos outside. It’s a three or four day weekend that’s like a…a mass flock or Curcio or a Paseo. It is a three or four day religious experience. Basically, a weekend with God is what it is. But so, we do the same thing with prisoners inside the prison. Well, they have a Kairos outside team that works with the ladies or the significant others of people that are inside of prison. So, it’s like the…the women that are outside, they go to jail. The same time the husband goes to jail they go to jail also because it’s an isolated incident, that it’s something that is…it’s isolating for them. So, this is a weekend where they can kind of explain to the ladies what the husbands went through when they do their Kairos weekend. And it’s a wonderful, wonderful weekend. They do this without charging the ladies anything. So, anyway they’re doing a Kairos outside in South Alabama January 29th that’s a Friday and it’s gonna be the 29th and 30th and 31st I guess three days. So, I just wanted to cover them up in prayer. It is in South Alabama and it’s a Kairos outside and I will talk to guys later.

[singing starts] O sweet Jesus tell us what to do. Holy Spirit tune our hearts to you. Heavenly Father faithful and true. Be very near that we may walk with you. [singing stops]. Your heavenly Father has accountability here on your head. And make sure you’re on speaking terms with Him because He knows everything, you’re thinking too any loves you so dearly. Don’t abandon Him but turn your thoughts over to Him and let yourself melt in the beauty of His presence in His mysterious grace and love. [singing starts] turn your eyes upon Jesus [singing stops]. Look into His wonderful face. Let everything else fade to insignificance and set your heart to honor Him and everything you think and do and say. In Jesus’ name I pray this for each one of us. Candace from Oregon.

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Prodigal Son Sunday: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This past Sunday marks one of only two times in the main Lectionary cycle that we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son proclaimed (the other being the 4th Sunday of Lent Cycle - [C]). The Readings are marked by the theme of repentance and forgiveness.

1. Our First Reading is Ex 32:7-11, 13-14:

The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ “I see how stiff-necked this people is, ” continued the LORD to Moses. Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.”

The context of this First Reading is immediately after the “Golden Calf” incident. To recap, God had sent Moses to the Israelites as they were enslaved in Egypt, and through might miracles brought them out of Egypt and into the Sinai desert, to Mount Sinai itself, where he entered into a solemn covenant with them (Exod 19-24, esp. ch. 24). A covenant is the extension of kinship by oath, so God’s covenant with Israel at Sinai (Exod 24) formed Israel into God’s children, his family. A blood ritual solemnized the covenant, as Moses splashed blood on both God’s altar and the people, symbolizing that God and the people were now one blood. But the blood ceremony also had a more ominous symbolism: “if I break the covenant, may my blood be shed, like this shed blood now being splashed on me.”

Forty days later, while Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving instructions for the building of the Tabernacle, the people of Israel defected from the covenant and broke their whole relationship with God. They built themselves an idol of a bull calf, probably representing the Egyptian god Apis whom they had once worshiped along the banks of the Nile. By breaking the covenant, they triggered on themselves the curse-meaning of the blood of the covenant: “may my blood be shed if I break my commitment…” That is why God says, “Let me alone … that my wrath may … consume them.” It is not the loss of God’s temper. It is God enforcing the terms of the covenant, which He is bound in justice to do. God tests Moses in this situation, creating the opportunity for Moses to intercede for the people, the opportunity for Moses to be like Christ. God says, “I will make of you a great nation.” This was the promise given to Abraham (Gen 12:2) so long ago. Thus, God is offering to “rewind” salvation history and start over with Moses as a new Abraham.

But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

Moses rises to the opportunity to be a Christ-like intercessor for the people of God. Moses’ main argument is significant: “Remember your servant(s) Abraham … how you swore to them by your own self…” There is only one place earlier in Scripture where God explicitly swears by his own self, and that is Genesis 22:15-18, the great oath which God swears to Abraham after Abraham offers to God his “only begotten son” (RSVCE2). That is the great passage of the near-sacrifice of Isaac, called “the Aqedah” (“the Binding [of Isaac]”) in the Jewish tradition. It is the most important type or foreshadowing of Calvary in the Old Testament. One might just call it “the Calvary of the Old Testament.” It is crucial to recognize that at this pivotal moment in the history of God’s people, where they face deserved destruction for apostasy from God, Moses’ succeeds in his intercession by pleading Calvary, by appealing to the covenant that was re-affirmed after the willing sacrifice of the “only begotten son.” God affirms the validity of Moses’ appeal, and “relents” from punishment. God knew in his foreknowledge that he would do this, but he chose to include Moses in his plan of mercy for Israel, allowing Moses to take an active role in the administration of God’s forgiveness. He does this for us, too.

2. The Responsorial Psalm is Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19:

R. (Lk 15:18) I will rise and go to my father.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. R. I will rise and go to my father.

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R. I will rise and go to my father.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. R. I will rise and go to my father.

Psalm 51 is THE great psalm of repentance in the entire psalter, used in the Lectionary and the Liturgy of the Hours at those times in the Church calendar that most call for acts of contrition. Psalm 51 is attributed to David, upon the occasion of his repentance after having been rebuked by Nathan the prophet for killing Uriah and taking Bathsheba as his wife by force.

David’s words have resounded on the lips of repentant believers down through the centuries, unrivaled for bluntness and sincerity. David prays for “a clean heart” which God alone can “create” for him—it is not possible by human power. David had acted like Israel at the Golden Calf. Both David and Israel were recipients of covenants: Israel in Exodus 24, David in 2 Samuel 7. Both had the status of “sons of God” (Exod 4:22; PS 89:20-27). Both succumbed to sexual temptation (David with Bathsheba, 2 Sam 11; Israel when they “rose up to play,” a sexual euphemism Exod 32:6). Unlike Israel, David repents when rebuked. He returns to seek the LORD, whereas Israel would have continued astray had it not been for Moses. In this way, David represents an advance in spiritual understanding over against the behavior of Israel as a whole.

3. The Second Reading is 1 Tm 1:12-17:

Beloved: I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Lectionary is marching through St. Paul’s letters to individuals right now, and last week we read from Philemon. This week we read from the beginning of his first letter to Timothy, and the selection could scarcely fit better the themes of this Sunday’s Mass. Here we are reminded that St. Paul himself—like David, like Israel—was a great offender against God, who received mercy. Paul calls himself “the foremost” of sinners. Truly the company of the saints is better thought of as the assembly of those who embraced mercy, rather than of those who never needed it.

Gospel Luke 15:1-32:

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable.

The Pharisees are offended that Jesus associates with “sinners,” not recognizing it to be a God-like trait, since God associated with sinners all through the Old Testament. In fact, Judah and his descendants included some of the worst of sinners.

“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Jesus prefaces his great parable of the “lost son” with two smaller, down-to-earth examples from everyday life about the joy of finding something that was lost. The phrase “there will be rejoicing among the angels of God” is actually a bit of a mistranslation. It is literally, “there will be rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God.” It is not the angels who are rejoicing, per se. Someone else is rejoicing in front of the angels. Who is that? God Himself. But in keeping with Jewish piety, Jesus using circumlocutions to speak of the divine rejoicing.

Then he said, “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns, who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”

This parable may be read in two ways. On the basic level, it is a story of forgiveness and reconciliation that teaches us about the character of God and his love for sinners. On a secondary level, it is a parable about the history of Israel. Israel divided into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom of “Ephraim” (the adopted youngest son of Jacob) and the southern kingdom of “Judah” (the son of Jacob who inherited the rights of the oldest son). Ephraim went astray and was taken into exile by Assyria (a far country). Judah, however, was only exiled for 70 years and then returned to stay by God’s “side” in the land of Israel. However, in the end it is “Ephraim” who returns to embrace God, while “Judah” resents God’s mercy.

This fits a theme through Luke-Acts, in which Luke shows that Samaritans (direct descendants of the northern kingdom “Ephraim”) and Gentiles (among whom other northern Israelites had assimilated) respond to the offer of God’s forgiveness in the Gospel, whereas the “Judeans”, descendants of southern Judah, resist the Gospel out of pride, and resent the Christian offer of a the “new covenant” to Samaritan and Gentile “sinners.”

Today’s Gospel speaks to us in two practical ways, depending on which “son” we are. Some of us at Mass this Sunday are the younger son, who have been going astray rather self-consciously. We “younger sons” need to be reassured of God’s forgivness. We need to pick up and leave the pig slop we’ve been wallowing in (whether that be substance abuse, porn, financial corruption, promiscuity, manipulation, etc.) and return to God, who is waiting to embrace us.

[Let us notice that the Father does not run after the son to the far country and pull him out of the muck. There is an act of repentance and renunciation that we must undertake before we can return to the Father. We do have to leave the pig sty.]

Others of us at Mass are the older brother. We think we are good, not in need of forgiveness, and God owes us something. We resent riff-raff hanging around, and in particular don’t want them in our churches or other places where we hang out.

We older brothers have no joy in our lives, because we really aren’t motivated by love, and don’t understand the God of love and joy. We need conversion as much as the younger son. We need to recognize “younger sons” as siblings, as family members, and share God’s joy at their repentance and reconciliation. God is not a businessman rewarding service in a tit-for-tat or quid-pro-quo manner. God is a father, who wants all his sons to share his love and joy.

From: https://www.pamphletstoinspire.com/

[pope-francis-quotes]

18th November >> Let us ask for the grace to open our eyes and hearts to the poor in order to hear their cry and recognize their needs. #WorldDayofthePoor @Pontifex 

Pope Francis

Messages

World Day of the Poor

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

SECOND WORLD DAY OF THE POOR

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 18 November 2018

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

1. “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him” (Ps 34:6). The words of the Psalmist become our own whenever we are called to encounter the different conditions of suffering and marginalization experienced by so many of our brothers and sisters whom we are accustomed to label generically as “the poor”. The Psalmist is not alien to suffering; quite the contrary. He has a direct experience of poverty and yet transforms it into a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. Psalm 34 allows us today, surrounded as we are by many different forms of poverty, to know those who are truly poor. It enables us to open our eyes to them, to hear their cry and to recognize their needs.

We are told, in the first place, that the Lord listens to the poor who cry out to him; he is good to those who seek refuge in him, whose hearts are broken by sadness, loneliness and exclusion. The Lord listens to those who, trampled in their dignity, still find the strength to look up to him for light and comfort. He listens to those persecuted in the name of a false justice, oppressed by policies unworthy of the name, and terrified by violence, yet know that God is their Saviour. What emerges from this prayer is above all the sense of abandonment and trust in a Father who can hear and understand. Along these same lines, we can better appreciate the meaning of Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3).

This experience, unique and in many ways undeserved and inexpressible, makes us want to share it with others, especially those who, like the Psalmist, are poor, rejected and marginalized. No one should feel excluded from the Father’s love, especially in a world that often presents wealth as the highest goal and encourages self-centredness.

2. Psalm 34 uses three verbs to describe the poor man in his relationship with God. First of all, “to cry”. Poverty cannot be summed up in a word; it becomes a cry that rises to heaven and reaches God. What does the cry of the poor express, if not their suffering and their solitude, their disappointment and their hope? We can ask ourselves how their plea, which rises to the presence of God, can fail to reach our own ears, or leave us cold and indifferent. On this World Day of the Poor, we are called to make a serious examination of conscience, to see if we are truly capable of hearing the cry of the poor.

To hear their voice, what we need is the silence of people who are prepared to listen. If we speak too much ourselves, we will be unable to hear them. At times I fear that many initiatives, meritorious and necessary in themselves, are meant more to satisfy those who undertake them than to respond to the real cry of the poor. When this is the case, the cry of the poor resounds, but our reaction is inconsistent and we become unable to empathize with their condition. We are so trapped in a culture that induces us to look in the mirror and pamper ourselves, that we think that an altruistic gesture is enough, without the need to get directly involved.

3. The second verb is “to answer”. The Psalmist tells us that the Lord does not only listen to the cry of the poor, but responds. His answer, as seen in the entire history of salvation, is to share lovingly in the lot of the poor. So it was when Abram spoke to God of his desire for offspring, despite the fact that he and his wife Sarah were old in years and had no children (cf. Gen 15:1-6). So too when Moses, in front of a bush that burned without being consumed, received the revelation of God’s name and the mission to free his people from Egypt (Ex 3:1-15). This was also the case during Israel’s wandering in the desert, in the grip of hunger and thirst (cf. Ex 16:1-6; 17:1-7), and its falling into the worst kind of poverty, namely, infidelity to the covenant and idolatry (cf. Ex 32:1-14).

God’s answer to the poor is always a saving act that heals wounds of body and soul, restores justice and helps to live life anew in dignity. God’s answer is also a summons to those who believe in him to do likewise, within the limits of what is humanly possible. The World Day of the Poor wishes to be a small answer that the Church throughout the world gives to the poor of every kind and in every land, lest they think that their cry has gone unheard. It may well be like a drop of water in the desert of poverty, yet it can serve as a sign of sharing with those in need, and enable them to sense the active presence of a brother or a sister. The poor do not need intermediaries, but the personal involvement of all those who hear their cry. The concern of believers in their regard cannot be limited to a kind of assistance – as useful and as providential as this may be in the beginning – but requires a “loving attentiveness” (Evangelii Gaudium, 199) that honours the person as such and seeks out his or her best interests.

4. The third verb is “to free”. In the Bible, the poor live in the certainty that God intervenes on their behalf to restore their dignity. Poverty is not something that anyone desires, but is caused by selfishness, pride, greed and injustice. These are evils as old as the human race itself, but also sins in which the innocent are caught up, with tragic effects at the level of social life. God’s act of liberation is a saving act for those who lift up to him their sorrow and distress. The bondage of poverty is shattered by the power of God’s intervention. Many of the Psalms recount and celebrate this history of salvation mirrored in the personal life of the poor: “For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; and he has not hid his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him” (Ps 22:24). The ability to see God’s face is a sign of his friendship, his closeness and his salvation. “You have seen my affliction, you have taken heed of my adversities… you have set my feet in a broad place” (Ps 31:7-8). To offer the poor a “broad space” is to set them free from the “snare of the fowler” (Ps 91:3); it is to free them from the trap hidden on their path, so that they can move forward with serenity on the path of life. God’s salvation is a hand held out to the poor, a hand that welcomes, protects and enables them to experience the friendship they need. From this concrete and tangible proximity, a genuine path of liberation emerges. “Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society. This demands that we be docile and attentive to the cry of the poor and to come to their aid” (Evangelii gaudium, 187).

5. I find it moving to know that many poor people identify with the blind beggar Bartimaeus mentioned by the evangelist Mark (cf. 10:46-52). Bartimaeus “was sitting by the roadside to beg” (v. 46); having heard that Jesus was passing by, “he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me’” (v. 47). “Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more” (v. 48). The Son of God heard his plea and said: “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Master,let me receive my sight” (v. 51). This Gospel story makes visible what the Psalm proclaims as a promise. Bartimaeus is a poor person who finds himself lacking things as essential as sight and the ability to work for a living. How many people today feel in the same situation! Lack of basic means of subsistence, marginalization due to a reduced capacity for work, various forms of social enslavement, despite all our human progress… How many poor people today are like Bartimaeus, sitting on the roadside and looking for meaning in their lives! How many of them wonder why they have fallen so far and how they can escape! They are waiting for someone to come up to them and say: “Take heart; rise, he is calling you” (v. 49).

Sadly, the exact opposite often happens, and the poor hear voices scolding them, telling them to be quiet and to put up with their lot. These voices are harsh, often due to fear of the poor, who are considered not only destitute but also a source of insecurity and unrest, an unwelcome distraction from life as usual and needing to be rejected and kept afar. We tend to create a distance between them and us, without realizing that in this way we are distancing ourselves from the Lord Jesus, who does not reject the poor, but calls them to himself and comforts them. The words of the Prophet Isaiah telling believers how to conduct themselves are most apt in this case. They are “to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke… to share bread with the hungry and bring the homeless and poor into the house… to cover the naked” (58:6-7). Such deeds allow sin to be forgiven (cf. 1 Pet 4:8) and justice to take its course. They ensure that when we cry to the Lord, he will answer and say: “Here I am!” (cf. Is 58:9).

6. The poor are the first to recognize God’s presence and to testify to his closeness in their lives. God remains faithful to his promise; and even in the darkness of the night, he does not withhold the warmth of his love and consolation. However, for the poor to overcome their oppressive situation, they need to sense the presence of brothers and sisters who are concerned for them and, by opening the doors of their hearts and lives, make them feel like friends and family. Only in this way can the poor discover “the saving power at work in their lives” and “put them at the centre of the Church’s pilgrim way” (Evangelii Gaudium, 198).

On this World Day, we are asked to fulfil the words of the Psalm: “The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied” (Ps 22:26). We know that in the Temple of Jerusalem, after the rites of sacrifice, a banquet was held. It was this experience that, in many dioceses last year, enriched the celebration of the first World Day of the Poor. Many people encountered the warmth of a home, the joy of a festive meal and the solidarity of those who wished to sit together at table in simplicity and fraternity. I would like this year’s, and all future World Days, to be celebrated in a spirit of joy at the rediscovery of our capacity for togetherness. Praying together as a community and sharing a meal on Sunday is an experience that brings us back to the earliest Christian community, described by the evangelist Luke in all its primitive simplicity: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:42.44-45).

7. Countless initiatives are undertaken every day by the Christian community in order to offer closeness and a helping hand in the face of the many forms of poverty all around us. Often too, our cooperation with other initiatives inspired not by faith but by human solidarity, make it possible for us to provide help that otherwise we would have been unable to offer. The realization that in the face of so much poverty our capacity for action is limited, weak and insufficient, leads us to reach out to others so that, through mutual cooperation, we can attain our goals all the more effectively. We Christians are inspired by faith and by the imperative of charity, but we can also acknowledge other forms of assistance and solidarity that aim in part for the same goals, provided that we do not downplay our specific role, which is to lead everyone to God and to holiness. Dialogue between different experiences, and humility in offering our cooperation without seeking the limelight, is a fitting and completely evangelical response that we can give.

In the service of the poor, there is no room for competition. Rather, we should humbly recognize that the Spirit is the source of our actions that reveal God’s closeness and his answer to our prayers. When we find ways of drawing near to the poor, we know that the primacy belongs to God, who opens our eyes and hearts to conversion. The poor do not need self-promoters, but a love that knows how to remain hidden and not think about all the good it has been able to do. At the centre must always be the Lord and the poor. Anyone desirous of serving is an instrument in God’s hands, a means of manifesting his saving presence. Saint Paul recalled this when he wrote to the Christians in Corinth who competed for the more prestigious charisms: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you’” (1 Cor 12:21). Paul makes an important point when he notes that the apparently weaker parts of the body are in fact the most necessary (cf. v. 22), and that those “we think less honourable we invest with the greater honour, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require” (vv. 23-24). Paul offers the community a basic teaching about charisms, but also about the attitude it should have, in the light of the Gospel, towards its weaker and needier members. Far be it from Christ’s disciples to nurture feelings of disdain or pity towards the poor. Instead, we are called to honour the poor and to give them precedence, out of the conviction that they are a true presence of Jesus in our midst. “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

8. Here we can see how far our way of life must be from that of the world, which praises, pursues and imitates the rich and powerful, while neglecting the poor and deeming them useless and shameful. The words of the Apostle Paul invite us to a fully evangelical solidarity with the weaker and less gifted members of the body of Christ: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together” (1 Cor 12:26). In his Letter to the Romans, Paul also tells us: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly” (12:15-16). This is the vocation of each of Christ’s followers; the ideal for which we must constantly strive is ever greater conformity to the “mind of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:5).

9. Faith naturally inspires a message of hope. Often it is precisely the poor who can break through our indifference, born of a worldly and narrow view of life. The cry of the poor is also a cry of hope that reveals the certainty of future liberation. This hope is grounded in the love of God, who does not abandon those who put their trust in him (cf. Rom 8:31-39). As Saint Teresa of Avila writes in The Way of Perfection: “Poverty comprises many virtues. It is a vast domain. I tell you, whoever despises all earthly goods is master of them all” (2:5). It is in the measure in which we are able to discern authentic good that we become rich before God and wise in our own eyes and in those of others. It is truly so. To the extent that we come to understand the true meaning of riches, we grow in humanity and become capable of sharing.

10. I invite my brother bishops, priests, and especially deacons, who have received the laying on of hands for the service of the poor (cf. Acts 6:1-7), as well as religious and all those lay faithful – men and women – who in parishes, associations and ecclesial movements make tangible the Church’s response to the cry of the poor, to experience this World Day as a privileged moment of new evangelization. The poor evangelize us and help us each day to discover the beauty of the Gospel. Let us not squander this grace-filled opportunity. On this day, may all of us feel that we are in debt to the poor, because, in hands outstretched to one another, a salvific encounter can take place to strengthen our faith, inspire our charity and enable our hope to advance securely on our path towards the Lord who is to come.

From the Vatican, 13 June 2018

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua

Francis

[romancatholicreflections]

5th January >> Daily Reflection/Commentary on Today’s Gospel Reading for Roman Catholics on the 5th January (John 1:43-51) Today in the Gospel we have the calling of two more disciples. The revelation of Jesus to Philip and Nathanael (in that order).

Notice that the passage again begins with “The next day…”. We are now in Day Four of this Week that begins John’s gospel. We are told that Jesus now goes to Galilee, the province in the north where he will do much of his work. Up to this he had been further south on the banks of the Jordan River where John the Baptist had been baptising.

Jesus came across Philip and invited him to be a disciple: “Follow me.” Philip came from Bethsaida, which was also the hometown of Peter and Andrew. Later in the Gospel Philip will be pictured as a rather simple and naïve person. During the feeding of the crowds, Jesus asks Philip, “Where will we get enough food for these people to eat?” which draws at first sight a not very helpful response (John 6: 5). Later, at the Last Supper, as Jesus speaks about his Father, Philip says: “Master, show us the Father and that will be enough for us” (John 14:8). Which gives Jesus the opportunity to explain how and where the Father can be ‘seen’. This Philip is not to be confused with another Philip, one of the deacons who appears in the Acts of the Apostles.

We do not know what else happened between Jesus and Philip but, like Andrew, the new disciple was immediately fired to go and find Nathanael. He tells Nathanael two things about Jesus: first, that he is the One written about by Moses in the Law and also by the prophets, and second, that he is the son of Joseph from Nazareth. Nathanael is not very impressed. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” is a rather cynical response. Later, the leaders of the Jews will discount Jesus because of his origins, or what they believe to be his origins. It is something we can sometimes be tempted to do with people we meet.

Philip’s response is perfect: “Come and see.” It was the same answer that Jesus gave to the two disciples who asked where he stayed. The only way to know Jesus is not by hearsay or reading books but by a personal experience of him. (It will come again in the story of the Samaritan woman.)

When Jesus sees Nathanael, he says: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” The first person to be called “Israel” in the Hebrew Testament was Jacob (Genesis 32:29) but he was guilty of serious duplicity. He cheated his older brother Esau of his birthright (even though the Scripture implies that Esau did not deserve it anyway, cf. Genesis 27:35-36). There can hardly be higher praise given a person than to say they are free of duplicity. Integrity is a very high virtue – Christian and human. It is a quality of wholeness, of total harmony between what goes inside the person and what is seen on the outside. Such a person can be trusted; such a person will never cheat or dissemble or wear any kind of mask. It is a quality in which most of us fail to some extent.

Nathanael is obviously surprised: “How do you know me?” “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” The full meaning of this escapes us but it deeply impressed Nathanael. In the Hebrew Testament the fig tree was seen as a symbol of messianic peace. In the book of the prophet Micah we read: “Every man shall sit under his own vine or under his own fig tree undisturbed” (Micah 4:4). In speaking words of assurance to Joshua the High Priest, an angel of the Lord concludes with the words: “On that day you will invite one another under your vines and fig trees” (Zechariah 3:10).

These words of Jesus are enough for Nathanael to make an extraordinary profession of faith: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” The title “Son of God” was used in the Hebrew Testament as an adopted name for the Davidic King (2 Samuel 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27) and “King of Israel” is used here with a messianic sense. For John, of course, “Son of God” also implies the divinity of Jesus. And here, too, we have two further titles of Jesus being listed by John in this first chapter (cf. 20:28).

Jesus responds to Nathanael’s declaration: “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And Jesus continues: “You (plural) will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” The reference, of course, is to the famous dream that Jacob had where he saw angels ascending and descending on a stairway which joined the heavens and the earth (Genesis 28:12 and see note in New American Bible). Longer experience with Jesus will reveal to Nathanael and the other disciples the mutual relationship between Jesus and his Father. God comes to them through Jesus; they will go to God through Jesus. Jesus is the Stairway between us and the Father God.

It is not clear whether Nathanael was one of the Twelve because he is not mentioned in any of the lists of the Twelve in the Synoptics. He only appears here in John and in the epilogue Chapter 21 (verse 3). However, he is worthy of being remembered for his insightful faith into the identity of Jesus and the great virtue of integrity. They are qualities which each Christian should treasure and pray for.

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Wed May 29th, 2024 ... Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

_________

1 Pt 1:18-25

Beloved:

Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,

handed on by your ancestors,

not with perishable things like silver or gold

but with the precious Blood of Christ

as of a spotless unblemished Lamb.

He was known before the foundation of the world

but revealed in the final time for you,

who through him believe in God

who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,

so that your faith and hope are in God.

Since you have purified yourselves

by obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love,

love one another intensely from a pure heart.

You have been born anew,

not from perishable but from imperishable seed,

through the living and abiding word of God, for:

"All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory like the flower of the field;

the grass withers,

and the flower wilts;

but the word of the Lord remains forever."

This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

Responsorial Psalm

______________

Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;

praise your God, O Zion.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;

he has blessed your children within you.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has granted peace in your borders;

with the best of wheat he fills you.

He sends forth his command to the earth;

swiftly runs his word!

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,

his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

He has not done thus for any other nation;

his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia

_______

Mk 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Son of Man came to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

________

Mk 10:32-45

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,

and Jesus went ahead of them.

They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.

Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them

what was going to happen to him.

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man

will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,

and they will condemn him to death

and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,

spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,

but after three days he will rise."

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee,

came to Jesus and said to him,

"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."

He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"

They answered him,

"Grant that in your glory

we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."

Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.

Can you drink the chalice that I drink

or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

They said to him, "We can."

Jesus said to them, "The chalice that I drink, you will drink,

and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;

but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give

but is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.

Jesus summoned them and said to them,

"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles

lord it over them,

and their great ones make their authority over them felt.

But it shall not be so among you.

Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;

whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.

For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve

and to give his life as a ransom for many."

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

In today’s gospel Jesus provides a clear message to his Apostles on what will be happening to him but they struggle with understanding Jesus’s message. In fact, James and John in ways that are so characteristic of our human imperfection ask to have a place of honor at Jesus side; he tells them Mark 10: 40 …but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared”…with that the Apostles become indignant….but Jesus reminds them….Mark 10: 43….whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; Mark 10: 44 …whoever wishes to be first among you will be the servant of all; Mark 10: 45….for the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve…..

In Jesus’s message to his Apostles, he is loving, patient, kind and so understanding. He understands how our ego can get in the way of everything. Work-sports-family-service-religion-spirituality. I can see my ego in play everywhere.  Do I do enough?  Do I need to do more? What will my family/friend/co-workers think? What will my legacy be?  However, Jesus message remains simple....Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest….

Jesus repeats this message of service throughout the Gospels.

In the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 20: 26-28

It shall not be so among you. But whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

In the Gospel of John 

John 13:15

After washing His disciples' feet — an act of love, humility, and service — He encourages us to follow His lead and serve one another. "I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. 

These Gospel readings provide an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of "faithful service". A devoted and helpful follower; to be humble before God; to be ready to act when God nudges or provides inspiration; to help meet the needs of others; to remember it is not about money or rewards or ego; to generously offer skills and strengths to those who need help without exception and without prejudices.  These meanings evoke many memories of kind and selfless acts of service I have observed for the past days, weeks and months. 

Memories:

A young man after working all day goes to his fiancée's grandfathers' community and tills and plants a garden for those who live there so they can have fresh vegetables;

A mom who just found out her 6 week old fetus has no heartbeat and reaches out to family who send their love and support;

A 95 year old Father who lives independently calls his 69 year daughter 3 x a day to make sure she is ok while she is sick with bronchitis;

A friend organizes a meal train for a dear friend whose life partner of 30 plus years passed into eternity;

A aunt organizes a trip for her sister, niece and nephews. The first one in over 4 years. One they would never be able to afford;

A woman provides daily communion to a lifelong colleague in her transition from life to eternity;

A friend reaches out to a circle of 30 plus year work friends to share her grief of her husband’s diagnosis. They respond with love and kindness. 

Two sisters reach out to a distant brother to keep him close as he journeys through his stage 4 melanoma diagnosis.

Let's pray ...

Jesus serves and Christ followers serve with love and devotion everyday…our lives are all touched. Let's recognize these gifts; let us thank Jesus for the message that continues to light our hearts on fire. We are servants, we are to love one another, we are to be kind to one another, do this in the name of Jesus.  

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat

(December 12, 1779 – May 25, 1865)

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s Story

The legacy of Madeleine Sophie Barat can be found in the more than 100 schools operated by her Society of the Sacred Heart, institutions known for the quality of the education made available to the young.

Sophie herself received an extensive education, thanks to her brother Louis, 11 years older and her godfather at baptism. Himself a seminarian, Louis decided that his younger sister would likewise learn Latin, Greek, history, physics and mathematics—always without interruption and with a minimum of companionship. By age 15, she had received a thorough exposure to the Bible, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church and theology. Despite the oppressive regime Louis imposed, young Sophie thrived and developed a genuine love of learning.

Meanwhile, this was the time of the French Revolution and of the suppression of Christian schools. The education of the young, particularly young girls, was in a troubled state. Sophie, who had discerned a call to the religious life, was persuaded to become a teacher. She founded the Society of the Sacred Heart, which focused on schools for the poor as well as boarding schools for young women of means. Today, co-ed Sacred Heart schools also can be found, along with schools exclusively for boys.

In 1826, her Society of the Sacred Heart received formal papal approval. By then she had served as superior at a number of convents. In 1865, she was stricken with paralysis; she died that year on the feast of the Ascension.

Madeleine Sophie Barat was canonized in 1925. Her liturgical feast is celebrated on May 25.

Reflection

__________

Madeleine Sophie Barat lived in turbulent times. She was only 10 when the Reign of Terror began. In the wake of the French Revolution, rich and poor both suffered before some semblance of normality returned to France. Born to some degree of privilege, Sophie received a good education. It grieved her that the same opportunity was being denied to other young girls, and she devoted herself to educating them, whether poor or well-to-do. We who live in an affluent country can follow her example by helping to ensure to others the blessings we have enjoyed.

Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat is a Patron Saint of:

Educators/Teachers

***

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[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

1st February >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Feast of Saint Brigid, Abbess, Secondary Patron of Ireland 

   or

Monday, Fourth Week in Ordinary Time.

Feast of Saint Brigid, Abbess, Secondary Patron of Ireland

(Liturgical Colour: White)

Either:

First Reading

Job 31:16-20,24-25,31-32

Have I been insensible to the needs of the poor?

Have I been insensible to poor men’s needs,    or let a widow’s eyes grow dim? Or taken my share of bread alone,    not giving a share to the orphan? I, whom God has fostered father-like, from childhood,    and guided since I left my mother’s womb. Have I ever seen a wretch in need of clothing,    or a beggar going naked, without his having cause to bless me from his heart,    as he felt the warmth of the fleece from my lambs?

Have I put all my trust in gold,    from finest gold sought my security? Have I ever gloated over my great wealth,    or the riches that my hands have won?

The people of my tent, did they not say,    ‘Is there a man he has not filled with meat’? No stranger ever had to sleep outside,    my door was always open to the traveller.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

or

First Reading

Ephesians 3:14-21

A prayer that faithful may know the love of Christ

This is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name:    Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.    Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 106 (107)

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

The Lord changes desert into streams,    thirsty ground into springs of water. There he settles the hungry    and they build a city to dwell in.

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

They sow fields and plant their vines;    these yield crops for the harvest. He blesses them; they grow in numbers.    He does not let their herds decrease.

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

But he raises the needy from distress;    makes families numerous as a flock. The upright see it and rejoice    but all who do wrong are silenced.

R/ Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his love has no end.

Gospel Acclamation

1 John 4:12

Alleluia, alleluia! As long as we love one another, God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 6:32-38

Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate. Ps 106 (107):35-38, 41-42. R/. v. 1

Jesus said to his disciples:    ‘If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.    ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

Hebrews 11:32-40

The example of the Old Testament saints

Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets – these were men who through faith conquered kingdoms, did what is right and earned the promises. They could keep a lion’s mouth shut, put out blazing fires and emerge unscathed from battle. They were weak people who were given strength, to be brave in war and drive back foreign invaders. Some came back to their wives from the dead, by resurrection; and others submitted to torture, refusing release so that they would rise again to a better life. Some had to bear being pilloried and flogged, or even chained up in prison. They were stoned, or sawn in half, or beheaded; they were homeless, and dressed in the skins of sheep and goats; they were penniless and were given nothing but ill-treatment. They were too good for the world and they went out to live in deserts and mountains and in caves and ravines. These are all heroes of faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had made provision for us to have something better, and they were not to reach perfection except with us.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 30(31):20-24

R/ Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

How great is the goodness, Lord,    that you keep for those who fear you, that you show to those who trust you    in the sight of men.

R/ Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence    from the plotting of men; you keep them safe within your tent    from disputing tongues.

R/ Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

Blessed be the Lord who has shown me    the wonders of his love    in a fortified city.

R/ Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

‘I am far removed from your sight’    I said in my alarm. Yet you heard the voice of my plea    when I cried for help.

R/ Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

Love the Lord, all you saints.    He guards his faithful but the Lord will repay to the full    those who act with pride.

R/ Let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

John 17:17

Alleluia, alleluia! Your word is truth, O Lord: consecrate us in the truth. Alleluia!

Or:

Luke 7:16

Alleluia, alleluia! A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people. Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 5:1-20

The Gadarene swine

Jesus and his disciples reached the country of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake, and no sooner had Jesus left the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came out from the tombs towards him. The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain; because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him. All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear by God you will not torture me!’ – for Jesus had been saying to him, ‘Come out of the man, unclean spirit.’ ‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked. ‘My name is legion,’ he answered ‘for there are many of us.’ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.    Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding, and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.’ So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned. The swineherds ran off and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people came to see what had really happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his full senses – the very man who had had the legion in him before – and they were afraid. And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs. Then they began to implore Jesus to leave the neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him. Jesus would not let him but said to him, ‘Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.’ So the man went off and proceeded to spread throughout the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of Tuesday, May 29, 2024

Reading 1

1 PT 1:18-25

Beloved: Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct, handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished Lamb. He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you, who through him believe in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, love one another intensely from a pure heart. You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and abiding word of God, for: "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts; but the word of the Lord remains forever." This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. or: R./ Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. or: R./ Alleluia.

He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat he fills you. He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. or: R./ Alleluia.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia. R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. or: R./ Alleluia.

Gospel

MK 10:32-45

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,  and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise." Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The chalice that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

[fidei]

“THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH” (JN 15:26)

“I consecrate Myself for their sakes now, that they may be consecrated in truth.” —John 17:19

Today is the sixth day of the Pentecost Novena. Both the first reading and the Gospel reading are concerned with truth. St. Paul warns his disciples that men will distort the truth and attempt to lead them astray (Acts 20:30). Jesus likewise mentions in the Gospel reading that He has guarded His disciples and that they will need further protection (Jn 17:11-12). Jesus then consecrates Himself so that His disciples will be consecrated in truth (Jn 17:19).

The next day, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (see Jn 18:38) The secular culture makes everything relative, in an attempt to obscure the truth and promote its own agenda. Yet the Scriptures are greatly concerned with revealing and preserving the truth. Jesus is the Truth (Jn 14:6). “The Spirit is Truth” (1 Jn 5:6). The Spirit will guide us to all truth (Jn 16:13). God’s Word is Truth (Jn 17:17).

To a world with so much deceit, Jesus proclaims: “The reason why I came into the world is to testify to the truth. Anyone committed to the truth hears My voice” (Jn 18:37). The Church is “the pillar and bulwark of truth” (1 Tm 3:15). Immerse yourself in the Word of God and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32).

Prayer:  Father, You are so concerned about me following the truth that You sent Your Son and Spirit, and gave the Church to protect me from error. May I be as devoted to the truth as You are.

Promise:  God “gives power and strength to His people. Blessed be God!” —Ps 68:36

Praise:  St. Justin’s First Apology, written about 150 AD, outlines the familiar format of the Mass. The essence of liturgical worship has not changed.

[bibledictionary]

Angels

Spirits – Made by God in Light

What is spirit?  Spirit is non-material essence.  Merriam-Webster Dictionary shows fourteen definitions for “spirit”.  The first two are: “An animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms; a supernatural being or essence.”  Scientific theories regarding aether, vacuum energy, neutrinos, which some relate to “spirit”, won’t be discussed here.  This topic mostly discusses supernatural spirit beings.

God is Spirit.  Holy.  Jesus said in Jn.4:24, “God is (a) spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”  Father God is Self-Existent spirit.  God isn’t physical matter.  No physical object or image can adequately represent God.  The Godhead or God Family is spirit essence…invisible (1Ti.1:17), ethereal.  2Co.3:17 “The Lord is that Spirit.”  The ascended Jesus is spirit at His Father’s right hand in heaven (He.1:3).  In Lk.24:39, Jesus said that a spirit being doesn’t have flesh and bones.

God is Light.  1Jn.1:5 “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”  Jesus said in Jn.8:12,”I Am the Light of the world.”  cf. Jn.12:46.  The Old Testament (OT) prophecy quoted in the New Testament (NT) Mt.4:16 refers to Jesus, “The people who sat in darkness [in Galilee] saw a great light.”  1Ti.6:16 God dwells on His heavenly throne in brilliant light which physical human eyes cannot behold or approach.  (Also see the topics “Godhead in Prehistory” and “Jesus Is God…Jesus Has a God”.)

Psalm 104, written by David, is about God’s Creation.  Ps.104:1-3 Septuagint/LXX “Bless the Lord. You are very great. Who robes Thyself with Light [Ge.1:3] as with a garment; spreading out the heaven [Ge.1:8] as a curtain.”  Compare the Creation account sequence in Ge.1:1-8.  After Light was brought forth, lesser spirit beings were then made.

God makes His angels spirits.  After Light, continuing with Ps.104:4 LXX, “Who makes His angels spirits.”  The angelic order is composed of spirit beings.  Cambridge Bible “It is clear that the spiritual nature of angels isn’t in question here.”  He.1:7 of the NT quotes the Ps.104:4 LXX “angels”.

God’s heavenly host includes angels.  Ne.9:6 “You are the Lord, who has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host. The host of heaven worships You.”  Cambridge Bible Ne.9:6 “Most probably means the created spirits.”  Benson Commentary “All the inhabitants of heaven.”  Poole Commentary “The angels, who are so called.”  Ps.148:2-4 “Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; all stars of light! Praise Him, highest heavens!”  Angelic voices on high praise the Lord.  At Jesus’ human birth, in Lk.2:13 the heavenly host was seen extolling God, “Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.”

Angels serve as messengers, agents, and helpers. They can make themselves visible to man as need be, appearing as humans.  The writer to the Hebrews admonished in He.13:2, “Don’t neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

The Hebrew term rendered angel in our OT is maláwk, Strongs h4397.  It means messenger.  The term malawk occurs over 200 times in the OT.  It also refers to human messengers and the Messenger of YHVH.  (see “Michael in the Bible”.  The only archangel so-named in scripture is Michael, Jude 1:9.)

The Greek term for angel in the LXX and NT is ággelos g32 (pronounced ángelos).  It occurs 185 times in the NT.  It can also refer to human messengers (e.g. Ge.32:3 LXX, and John the Baptizer in Mt.11:10).

The Lord Christ shared in the Creation.  Col.1:16 “By Him [Christ the Son] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, rulers or authorities.”  The Creation includes the heavenly host of beings, normally not visible to human eyes.  JFB Commentary “Invisible – the world of spirits.”  Barnes Notes “The angels we cannot see. Inhabitants of distant worlds we cannot see.”  Gill Exposition “Angels were made by him, Heb.1:7; and, as the Jewish writers say, on the 2nd day of the creation, though some say on the 5th.”  Benson Commentary Col.1:16 “The different orders of angels, both those that stood and those that afterward fell.”

According to Jn.1:1-14, Jesus was the primordial Word or Logos (Greek) of God.  Jn.1:3-9 “The Word was God. All things came into being through Him [Christ the Word/Logos]…That Word was the true Light [g5457].”  “All things” included lesser spirit beings.  Bengel’s Gnomen Jn.1:3 “All things, which are outside of God, were made; and all things which were made, were made by the Logos [Jesus, v.14].”  Expositor’s Greek Testament Jn.1:3 “In 1Cor.8:6 “Paul distinguishes between the Father as the primal source of all things and the Son as the actual Creator.”  Christ the Light was Executive Creator.

He.12:9 God is the “Father of spirits”.  Barnes Notes He.12:9 “God is Himself a Spirit [Jn.4:24]. Angels and human souls [or spirits] may be represented as especially His offspring.”  JFB Commentary “God is a spirit Himself, and the Creator of spirits like Himself, in contrast to men who are flesh.”  Meyer’s NT Commentary “God, who is Father in regard to the higher spiritual domain of life.”  Pulpit Commentary “It isn’t human spirits only that are here in view. God is the Father of all ‘the spirits.”

The cherubim (plural) or cherubs are another class of spirit beings.  Telus.net: Cherubim “Cherubim are spiritual beings.”  They serve as God’s guardians.  The Hebrew term cherub (h3742) occurs 90 times in the OT.  Ge.3:24 God cast Adam & Eve from the garden of Eden, and then stationed cherubim on the east side to guard the way to the Tree of Life.  Scripture doesn’t depict cherubs as chubby human babies with wings flying around!

Ex.25:16-22 Moses was to construct the mercy-seat of God’s Tabernacle with two winged golden cherubim atop the Ark of the Testimony; there the Lord dwelt with ancient Israel.  Ellicott Commentary Ge.3:24 “The office of the cherub here is to guard the Paradise [Garden], lest man should try to force an entrance back; and so too the office of the cherubs upon the mercy-seat was to protect it, lest anyone should impiously approach it, except the high-priest on the Day of Atonement.”  In 1Ki.6–8, figures of cherubim were later carved & embroidered (2Chr.3:14) in Solomon’s Temple.  (This wasn’t idolatry.)  In the Greek NT, cheroubim g5502 occurs only in He.9:5.

Ezk.10 is Ezekiel’s vision of cherubs at the Lord’s portable throne.  Ezekiel calls them “living beings”.  Ezk.10:20 LXX “This is the living being [g2226] that I saw below the God of Israel by the river Chobar, and I knew they were cherubs [g5502].”  How did they appear to Ezekiel?  Ezk.1:1, 5 “I was by the river Chebar among the exiles. There were figures resembling four living beings.”  Ezk.1:10 “The likeness of their faces was the face of a human…the face of a lion…an ox…and an eagle.”  Compare the appearance of the four living beings (g2226), but having six wings, that John envisioned at God’s throne in Re.4:6-9…lion, ox, man, flying eagle.

Winged sphinxes resembled cherubs.  Wikipedia: Sphinx Both the Egyptian and Greek sphinxes “were thought of as guardians, and often flank the entrances to temples.”  An ancient sphinx composite had the head of a human, the paws & tail of a lion, the hind body of an ox, and the wings of an eagle.  Dr. Raanan Eichler What Kind of Creatures Are the Cherubim?: “The prevailing opinion is that the cherub is a winged sphinx…such as that depicted on the sarcophagus of the late 2nd-millennium BC Phoenician king Ahiram.”  William Finck Cherubs Are Sphinxes “A sphinx is a variation on a cherub.”

Fiery seraphim (plural) or seraphs h8314 are another class of spirit beings.  They are celestial attendant worshipers of God, having three pairs of wings.  In the OT, seraphs only appear in the vision of Is.6:1-7.

They were around the Lord’s throne, praising, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.”  Then with a glowing coal of fire from the altar, a seraph figuratively purged Isaiah’s unclean lips & iniquity.  Fire purifies.  Ellicott Commentary Is.6:2 “This is the only passage in which the seraphim are mentioned as part of the host of heaven. ‘Burning ones’…with six wings.”  cf. Rev.4–6.  Gill Exposition Re.4:8 “Cherubim…like the seraphim in Is.6:2.”  Nu.21:6-9 Moses made something like a bronze replica of a seraph, and set it on a pole to aid in healing Israelites bitten by serpents.

The watchers (Da.4:13-17, 23) were another group of spirit beings.  They are discussed in the two-part topic “Watchers and Gen. 6 ‘Sons of God”.

Also there were “24 elders” at God’s throne in heaven.  They are mentioned specifically in Re.4:4, 10; 5:8; 11:16; 19:4.  The apostle John envisioned them in Re.4–5.  Re.4:4 “Around the throne were 24 thrones. On the thrones were 24 elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.”  Theologians and Bible commentators have put forth various explanations as to their identity.

The elders wear crowns of gold.  Barnes Notes Re.4:4 “These elders…are of a kingly order. They are human beings.”  In the Bible, elders refer to men.  Gill Exposition “In allusion to the 24 courses of the priests, into which they were divided by David [1Ch.24:4-19].”  Re.5:10 Young’s Literal Translation “And [the Lamb] did make us to our God kings and priests.”  They were as a royal priesthood (ref 1Pe.2:9).

Compellingtruth.com “Information in scripture most likely identifies these 24 elders as representatives of the church.”  Expositor’s Greek Testament Re.4:4 “Heavenly beings, angelic figures corresponding to the ‘thrones’ of Col.1:16. The significance of the doubled 12 has been found in the 12 patriarchs or tribes [of Israel] plus the 12 apostles, or in the 24 classes of the priests.”  Cambridge Bible Re.4:4 “They act as priests in Rev.5:8.”  The Pulpit Commentary Re.4:8 lists possible interpretations, including…“The 24 elders represent the great and minor prophets; higher angels – the celestial priesthood.”

It seems the 24 elders could be redeemed humans who are spirit beings serving on God’s council or court in heaven.  I’ll leave the choice(s) of interpretation to the reader.

[Aside: Hierarchical angelologies (and demonologies) developed over the centuries in the traditions of Judaism, kabbalah, and medieval Christianity.  That isn’t discussed here.]

God has given each of us humans our human spirit, the “breath of life” (Ge.2:7).  Is.42:5 God the Lord gives breath to people on earth, “and spirit to those who walk on it.”  Job’s countryman Elihu said in Jb.32:8, “There is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.”

The human spirit is a vital incorporeal component within our body which imparts consciousness and intellect to our brain.  We are a spirit, dwelling in a physical body on earth.  1Th.5:23 man is made up of “spirit, soul, and body.”

We communicate with God through our spirit.  At conversion, the Holy Spirit (HS) of God joins with our human spirit.  1Co.6:17 “The person who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”  Paul wrote to Timothy in 2Ti.4:22, “The Lord be with your spirit.”  The HS becomes part of our persona.  1Co.3:16 “The Spirit of God dwells in you.”

At physical death, our human spirit is to “return to God who gave it”, Ec.12:7.  The dying Stephen said in Ac.7:59, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  (Ja.2:26 “The body without the spirit is dead…our physical body is then a corpse.  Also see the topic “Life and Death – for Saints”.)  Php.1:23 Paul said it was better to depart our physical body and “be with Christ” in heaven with a spiritual body (1Co.15:44, 50).

Jesus prepares our heavenly abode for us.  He said in Jn.14:2-3, “I go to prepare a place for you.”  He.12:22-24 dwelling in heaven are the spirits of men (righteous).  Lk.16:22 God’s holy angels will escort our spirit too, returning it to God who gave it…for His disposition and use.  Lk.16:8-9 as the “sons of light”, we’re welcomed into eternal dwellings.  Our spirit returns to the Light.  1Jn.1:5 God is Light [g5457].  Paul/Saul saw it from afar…Ac.9:3 “Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.”

Jn.3:20-21 those who do truth don’t fear the Light.  But the spirits of those who do evil or are unbelieving are afraid to go to the Light at death, to return to God (Ec.12:7).  They stumbled in darkness (Jn.11:10), not receiving the HS.  These may remain for a time as earthbound spirits (ghosts), stuck.

Those who believe in Jesus and repent of sin won’t abide in darkness (Jn.12:46)!  Ps.36:9 “In Thy Light, we shall see light.”  After death, we shouldn’t fear to return to God…going to the Light!  Trust in His destiny for our human spirit.  God is good (Lk.18:19)!  Medical personnel confirm numerous Near Death Experience (NDE) cases where patients saw the light.

Ja.1:17 God is the “Father of lights [g5457].”  He made spirit beings, and human spirits (and stars too).  Bengel’s Gnomen Ja.1:17 “He is the Father even of the spiritual lights in the kingdom of grace and glory.”  Pr.20:27 LXX “The spirit of man is a light [g5457] of the Lord.”  Gill Exposition Pr.20:27 “The spirit of man…was a bright and burning light at first, but through sin is become a very feeble one.”

Yet Christians whose human spirit is joined to God’s HS are able to figuratively “shine as luminaries [g5458] in the world” (Php.2:15).  Jesus exhorted the disciples with Him in Jn.12:36, “While you have the Light [g5457], believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light.”  It’s our destiny too!

Re.22:5 “The Lord God has given them light, and they shall reign forever.”  Col.1:12 Father God “has enabled us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light [g5457].”  Prepared by God, it is the future for our spirits on into eternity…in His heavenly Light!