Peter's mother-in-law

Wednesday of 22nd Week 1 Cor. 3:1-9 Lk. 4:38-44 Mass Intro                    (Fr. S …) In the Gospel we find dynamics in the life of Jesus which all of us can imitate. Jesus was a man of prayer. Early in the morning he would be alone in God’s presence drawing strength for his mission.   It is amazing to see how contemplation and action have been merged in the life of Jesus. There is a perfect harmony, a blending between his interior prayer life and actions. He is so patient after days hard work of teaching and healing. He was never impatient and angry. There was no word of complaint and resentment when Jesus’ privacy was invaded by the crowds. He was very compassionate. At dusk people from everyone brought their sick and infirm. Laying his hands on them, he cured them all. There was no mass healing. Jesus touched each person personally understanding their pain and anxiety of each sick person as if they were his own, Thus we find his interior prayer life and external actions are well blended in the life of Jesus.  The world today is looking for authentic spiritual persons who would initiate them into God experience. Many critics and seekers have offered different criteria to describe the true spiritual person whom the world needs today. But there remains one test proposed by Jesus, “By their fruits you will show them.” (Lk. 6:44). The ideal of a true spiritual person is always characterized by charity, simplicity, patience, humanity, compassion and poverty. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Navarre Commentary. Luke 4. Peter’s Mother-in-law  38-39.  In the public life of Jesus we find many touching episodes (cf. for example Luk_19:1  ; Joh_2:1  ) which show the high regard He had for everyday family life. Here we can clearly see the effectiveness of prayer on behalf of other people: "No sooner did they pray to the Savior", St. Jerome says, "than He immediately healed the sick; from this we learn that He also listens to the prayers of the faithful for help against sinful passions" ("Expositio In Evangelium Sec. Lucam, in loc."). St. John Chrysostom refers to this total, instantaneous cure: "Since this was a curable type of illness He displayed His power through the way He brought healing, doing what medicine could not do.  Even after being cured of fever, patients need time to recover their former strength, but here the cure was instantaneous" ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 27). The Fathers saw in this lady's fever a symbol of concupiscence: "Peter's mother-in-law's fever represents our flesh affected by various illnesses and concupiscences; our fever is passion, our fever is lust, our fever is anger--vices which, although they affect the body, perturb the soul, the mind and the feelings" (St. Ambrose, "Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc."). On the practical consequences of this St. Cyril says: "Let us receive Jesus Christ, because when He visits us and we take Him into our minds and hearts, even our worst passions are extinguished and we are kept safe to serve Him, that is, to do what pleases Him" ("Hom. 28 In Mattheum"). 43.  Our Lord again stresses one of the reasons why He has come into the world.  St. Thomas, when discussing the purpose of the Eucharist, says that Christ "came into the world, first, to make the truth known, as He Himself says: `for this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth' ( Joh_18:37  ).  Hence it was not fitting that He should hide Himself by leading a solitary life, but rather that He should appear openly and preach in public.  For this reason He tells those who wanted to detain Him, `I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.'  Secondly, He came in order to free men from sin; as the Apostle says, `Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners' ( 1Ti_1:15  ).  This is why Chrysostom says, `Although Christ might, while staying in the same place, have drawn all men to Himself to hear His preaching, He did not do so--in order to give us the example to go out and seek the lost sheep, as the shepherd does, or as the doctor does, who visits the sick person.'  Thirdly, He came so that `we might obtain access to God' ( Rom_5:2  )" ("Summa Theologiae", III, q. 40, a. 1, c.).

Calving harvest time

At end of August it the time of  calving time in the beef herd.
There are pictures overlooking the Thortors Reservoir.
At the higher ground the first year stirks gathered near us, drawn by the attraction for some meal feed.

New Calf. Br. Aidan succeeds attaching ear tag. The cow peaceful over watching.

The yearlings stirks follow us in hope of meal feed.

Augustine Memorial

SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(354-430)

St. Augustine  28 August 2010

Intro Mass                  (Fr. Mark)

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of St. Monica.

Today we remember her son, the many sided and highly gifted St. Augustine. He is one of the greatest pastors, preachers and thinkers of the early church. His influence remains with us through his many writings.

In spite of Augustine’s later greatness, as a young man he was lax in his life and slow to answer God’s call to conversion.

As we begin this Mass, let us be confident that God always forgives any lack of love in us.    

God our Father, your love follows us through our lives, even when we fail to respond – …

Lord Jesus, you are the living proof of the Father’s care for us. - …

Spirit of God, You are the love which makes our hurts restless till they rest in you. - …

Conclusion: God our Father, in your love hear us in our need. May your gifts fill our lives and our decisions be ever satisfied in you.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ + +

St. Augusine unwrapped

----- Forwarded Message ---- From: William J  ... To: Donald  ... Sent: Thu, 26 August, 2010 20:46:57 Subject: Re: St. Augustine's words - unwrapped... Dear Father Donald,  - - - You present me with a challenging document indeed.. I have tried to 'unwrap' St. Augustine's words: "The chief reason for Christ's coming was so that we should know how much God loves us, and knowing this be on fire with love for him who loved us first, and for our neighbour at the bidding and after the example of him who became our neighbour by loving us when we were not his neighbours[D1] but had wandered far from him". Christ came that we should know how much God loves us, that we might truly love Him and our neighbour as He bids us and shows us by His example, for He became a loving neighbour to us even before we acknowledged Him. "Moreover, all inspired scripture written before the Lord's coming was written to foretell that coming, and all that was later committed to writing and ratified by divine authority speaks of Christ and teaches us to love". All of the ancient Scriptures foretell His coming and all subsequent writings speak of Him and teach us to love.    "It is clear therefore that upon these two commandments, love of God and of our neighbour, depend not only the whole of the law and the prophets, which was all that made up holy scripture when the Lord spoke these words, but also all the divinely inspired books which were later written for our salvation and handed down to us".   And therefore, everything that is written - the whole of the law and the prophets that foretell His coming, and alone existed at that time, together with all subsequent Scriptures depend upon the two commandments of love of God and of our neighbour.   I hope I may have managed to interpret and express the meaning that is wrapped in such complex construction!   With my love in Our Lord, William. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Hi, William, Thank you for successfully editing of these lines from the Reading from St. Augustine. On Wed. 25th we were 'elevated' in the usual Augustinian in mind and heart but at this point I was stumped by the second paragraph. For the moment, I was adrift in the long sentences. My comment was,  "I can’t unravel these lines".  Your Editing makes very good sense of it. You could be guaranteed a Proof Reading carear for your retirement.  I hope you did not burn midnight light when so other exciting thing have afoot. Thank you. Yours ... Donald %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%   Wednesday, 25 August 2010 Night Office First Nocturn: 1 Timothy 1:1-20  Second Nocturn: From the writings of Saint Augustine of Hippo (De catechizandis rudibus I, 6.8: CCL 46,124.126-128) Speak that by hearing those whom you address may believe, and that belief may give them hope, and hope inspire them to love    In everything we say we should bear in mind that the purpose of our instruction is to arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, and clear conscience, and a genuine faith. (1Tim. 1:5). This is the end to which we should relate all our words, and toward which we should also move and direct the thoughts of those for whose instruction we are speaking.   Christ came that we should know how much God loves us, that we might truly love Him and our neighbour as He bids us and shows us by His example, for He became a loving neighbour to us even before we acknowledged Him.  All of the ancient Scriptures foretell His coming and all subsequent writings speak of Him and teach us to love. And therefore, everything that is written - the whole of the law and the prophets that foretell His coming, and alone existed at that time, together with all subsequent Scriptures depend upon the two commandments of love of God and of our neighbour.     In the Old Testament, then, the New is concealed, and in the New the Old is revealed. Insofar as the New Testament is concealed, worldly people, who interpret scripture in a worldly way, are now as in the past subject to the fear of punishment. But insofar the Old Testament has been revealed, spiritual people, who interpret scripture spiritually, are set free by the gift of love; that is to say, both those of old to whose devout knocking hidden things were made known, and those of today who seek without pride, for fear that even what is manifest may be hidden from them. And so, since nothing is more contrary to love than envy, and the mother of envy is pride, to cure our boundless conceit by a more powerful antidote, the Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, became both the proof of God's love for us, and the example of humility among us. Great is the misery of human pride, but even greater is the mercy of divine humility.  With this love before you, then, is the end to which you may relate everything you say, so speak that by hearing those whom you address may believe, and that belief may give them hope, and hope inspire them to love.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  St. Augustine - RESARCH Teaching Unlearned - 01 Augustine In about the year 403, Augustine wrote De catechizandis rudibus ("On Cathechizing Beginners in Faith" or "The First Catechetical Instruction" ).                      He did so at the request of Deogratias, a deacon at Carthage, who asked help from Augustine, who was a very talented instructor in the Faith. People ever afterwards have been pleased that Deogratias asked, and that Augustine responded by writing a treatise of fifty five chapters - what today would more likely be described as extended paragraphs. The written response by Augustine to Deogratias is described by Frans Van der Meer in his magnificent biography, Augustine the Bishop, as "the best thought of a great spirit in its simplest form". Although relatively brief, De catechizandis rudibus is an important work of Augustine, and very pastoral in its intention. De catechizandis rudibus is among the first texts on the practice of Christian religious instruction. Augustine even thought to include the content of a sample catechetical teaching session. Links For an English translation of the text of De catechizandis rudibus on the Internet, click here. For a page in Augnet that lists many translations of the writings of Augustine into the English language, click here.

Saint Monica

Memorial of St. Monica

Friday, August  27

Matthew 25:1-13

 

Mass: In today’s parable of Ten Bridesmaids describes to stress the fact that we must be always ready for the call of the Lord.

We are aware that the life on earth is very short

Life is given to each one of us for one purpose only to prepare ourselves for eternity. How then ought we to spend this short but precious time here on earth.

With life God has also given us responsibilities and commitments of particular vocations. We need to prioritize them.

We must seek first the Kingdom of God making God and the coming of his Kingdom our first priority.

And the second priority is to grow in holiness.

How? We can grow is holiness by our charity serving others, using every opportunity using our God’s given resources, talents and charisms.

Under God’s direction, to give Him glory and build up the Kingdom of God. The Gospel says, “But at midnight there was a cry. The bridegroom is here. Go out and meet him.”

We do not know the day, hour and the minutes of his visitation. Each one of us has responsibility to remain alert and watchful. It us up to us now to decide where we shall be found on the last days with the wise bridesmaids or with the foolish.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Monica, a wise mother who by her faith, prayers and good example won the conversion of her son, St. Augustine and made him a Saint. May she also aid us in our journey to eternity.

Fr. S …

<< ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 25 >> Matthew 25 Interlinear Bible	InterlinearBible.org Home Apostolic / Interlinear / Greek Study
The parable of the ten virgins,

Mt 25:1	5119 ADV Τότε tote then	3666 V-FPI-3S ὁμοιωθήσεται omoiōthēsetai will be like	3588 T-NSF ἡ ē the	932 N-NSF βασιλεία basileia kingdom	3588 T-GPM τῶν tōn of
3772 N-GPM οὐρανῶν ouranōn heaven	1176 A-DPF δέκα deka ten	3933 N-DPF παρθένοις, parthenois virgins	3748 R-NPF αἵτινες aitines who	2983 V-2AAP-NPF λαβοῦσαι labousai having taken	3588 T-APF τὰς tas the

 (RSV)  "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

(Vulgate)  tunc simile erit regnum caelorum decem virginibus quae accipientes lampadas suas exierunt obviam sponso et sponsae

(KJV+)  Then⁵¹¹⁹ shall the³⁵⁸⁸ kingdom⁹³² of heaven³⁷⁷² be likened unto³⁶⁶⁶ ten¹¹⁷⁶ virgins,³⁹³³ which³⁷⁴⁸ took²⁹⁶³ their⁸⁴⁸ lamps,²⁹⁸⁵ and went forth¹⁸³¹ to meet^{1519, 529} the³⁵⁸⁸ bridegroom.³⁵⁶⁶

+ + +

Wednesday, 25th, Mass
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Nivard  ... >
To: donald  ... >
Sent: Tue, 24 August, 2010 14:39:34
Subject:  White-washed tombs

Mathew 23: 27-32-13.


The Scribes and Pharisees professed admiration for the prophets by building their tombs. But they also opposed the prophets' message. They closed their ears to the word of God. They closed their eyes to the sight of heaven. They hindered others from understanding God's word. They rejected Jesus as their Messiah, because their hearts were blinded, and hardened to the voice of God. Only the humble of heart can receive from God true wisdom and understanding, pardon and healing. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to renew our minds and hearts, and to teach us God's way of love and holiness.

Bidding Prayer:

 

    "Father, fill our hearts with your Holy Spirit that we may love your ways and obey your word. 

 + + +    

Matt. 23:27 (Bible.org) 27   3759 27   INJ 27   Οὐαὶ 27   ouai 27   woe 5213 P-2DP ὑμῖν umin to you 1122 N-VPM γραμματεῖς grammateis scribes 2532 CONJ καὶ kai and 5330 N-VPM Φαρισαῖοι pharisaioi Pharis ees 5273 N-VPM ὑποκριταί, upokritai hypocrites 3754 CONJ ὅτι oti for 3945 V-PAI-2P παρομοιάζετε paromoiazete you are like 5028 N-DPM τάφοις taphois tombs 2867 V-RPP-DPM κεκονιαμένοις, kekoniamenois whitewashed 3748 R-NPM οἵτινες oitines which 1855 ADV ἔξωθεν exōthen outside 3303 PRT μὲν men indeed 5316 V-PEI-3P φαίνονται phainontai appear 5611 A-NPM ὡραῖοι, ōraioi beautiful 2081 ADV ἔσωθεν esōthen inside 1161 CONJ δὲ de but 1073 V-PAI-3P γέμουσιν gemousin are full 3747 N-GPN ὀστέων osteōn of bones 3498 A-GPM νεκρῶν nekrōn of dead 2532 CONJ καὶ kai and 3956 A-GSF πάσης pasēs of all 167 N-GSF ἀκαθαρσίας. akatharsias uncleanness (Vulgate)  vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis quae a foris parent hominibus speciosa intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum et omni spurcitia.   (DouaiRheims)  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful but within are full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness.