LUKE 12:13-21 EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23; Psalm 90; Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11) KEY VERSE: "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions" (v15). :  From a homily by Saint Basil the Great (Homelies sur la richesse, Courtonne, pages 15-19) Seeking to form a Christian social conscience, Basil stresses that the rich have no right to use their property as they please, but must regard themselves as God's stewards. The land of a rich man produced abundant harvests, and he thought to himself: "What am I to do? I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones." Now why did that land bear so well, when it belonged to a man who would make no good use of its fertility? It was to show more clearly the forbearance of God, whose kindness extends even to such people as this. He sends rain on both the just and the unjust, and makes the sun rise on the wicked and the good alike. But what do we find in this man? A bitter disposition, hatred of other people, unwillingness to give. This is the return he made to his Benefactor. He forgot that we all share the same nature; he felt no obligation to distribute his surplus to the needy. His barns were full to bursting point, but still his miserly heart was not satisfied. Year by year he increased his wealth, always adding new crops to the old. The result was a hopeless impasse: greed would not permit him to part with anything he possessed, and yet because he had so much there was no place to store his latest harvest And so he was incapable of making a decision and could find no escape from his anxiety. What am I to do? Who would not pity a man so oppressed? His land yields him no profit but only sighs; it brings him no rich returns but only cares and distress and a terrible helplessness. He laments in the same way as the poor do. Is not his cry like that of one hard pressed by poverty? What am I to do? How can I find food and clothing? You, who have wealth, recognize who has given you the gifts you have received. Consider yourself, who you are, what has been committed to your charge, from whom you have received it, why you have been preferred to most other people. You are the servant of the good God, a steward on behalf of your fellow servants. Do not imagine that everything has been provided for your own stomach. Take decisions regarding your property as though it belonged to another. Possessions give you pleasure for a short time, but then they will slip through your fingers and be gone, and you will be required to give an exact account of them. What am I to do? It would have been so easy to say: "I will feed the hungry, I will open my barns and call in all the poor. I will imitate Joseph in proclaiming my good will toward everyone. I will issue the generous invitation: 'Let anyone who lacks bread come to me. You shall share, each according to need, in the good things God has given me, just as though you were drawing from a common well'." |
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Rich Fool Lk 1213...
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Lazarus Martha Mary
29 July, ST MARTHA, ST MARY AND ST LAZARUS, hosts of the Lord. This Memorial is marked in our Cistercian Rite. The General Sanctoral Calendar has the Memorial names only St. Martha. The Cistercian Prayer after Communion mention Lazarus, Martha and Mary as the Saints by whom we grow in sincere love for you in this life, and for ever be gladdened by your presence in heaven. ENTRANCE ANTIPHON As Jesus entered a certain village, a woman called Martha welcomed him into her house. [see Lk 10,38] OPENING PRAYER Heavenly Father, your Son called Lazarus from the grave and sat at table in the house of May we serve him faithfully in our sisters and brothers and with Mary ponder and feed upon his word. Grant . . . PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Heavenly Father, may this sharing in the body and blood of your only-begotten Son lessen our taste for all passing things. By the example of your saints, Lazarus, Martha and Mary, may we grow in sincere love for you in this life, and for ever be gladdened by your presence in heaven. Grant this through Christ our Lord www.ocso.org Cistercian Ritual - Ordo |
Our sincere thanks to the Editor. We express our ever growing appreciation of the outstanding work by the team of MAGNIFICAT – www.magnificat.com.
To “seek first the kingdom of God Delft
Treasure Hidden, Pearl of Price
Greatest Treasure of Great Value Mt. 13: 44-46 To day the Bible Readings speak about the greatest treasure of great value. In the first reading: the prophet Jeremiah found his treasure in preaching the Word of God. As a consequence, he suffered abuse and offense. God tells Jeremiah to take his call as a challenge and trust God and He’ll be with him. In the second reading: Jesus tells two parables about the  The treasure in the field was hidden and therefore they needed concentration and discerning eye to find the treasure. The Gospel challenges us who is the The Catechism teaches us (CCC 2816) the The Kingdom of God has arrived in Incarnation, Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus and therefore Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom” (Mt. 6:33) and his righteousness and all things will be given to you as well”. What we are asked to do is to give first place in our hearts to Jesus. The Gospel says when these two people found out the treasure and the pearl of enormous value of joy, they sold everything they owned and acquired it. Contrast this with the rich young man Jesus met who was unable to give away all he possessed and went away sorrowful. (Mt. 19:22). - Let us look at the Saints in heaven. When they experienced the sweetness of the Lord, they sacrificed everything in order to gain heaven and the eternal life the pearl of enormous value which Christ wants to offer to them. - Jesus, the - Help me to meet life’s demands. Amen. Fr. Santosh  |
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
'Father' (Lord's Prayer Lk 11:2)
COMMENT
LUKE'S GOSPEL SIMPLY SAYS “FATHER” (LK 11:2)
LUKE'S GOSPEL SIMPLY SAYS “FATHER” (LK 11:2)
COMMENT
Thank you, William.
Your reading of the book highlights some of the path of this “Jesus of Nazareth
And, as you say, it is he is the perfect introduction for the Pope’s visit to Scotland
And, as you say, it is he is the perfect introduction for the Pope’s visit to Scotland
Donald
From: William J
Subject: Pope Benedict's book - one (or more) gems
Subject: Pope Benedict's book - one (or more) gems
Dear Father Donald,
It is a delight to see Joseph Ratzinger's text from "Jesus of Nazareth" on your Blog. What a perfect introduction to Pope Benedict's visitation to read of his exquisite reflections on Jesus. There is a wonderful directness in his writing, as if he were speaking directly to us.
May I just share one other 'gem' from his book. Writing on the "Our Father", he takes us first to Luke's text (Sunday's Gospel), before studying the fuller text of Matthew's Gospel, and the reason for this - is beautiful: the highlighting is mine...
"Luke prefaces the Lord's Prayer with the following remark: Jesus "was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray..' " (Lk 11:1). .. The fact that Luke places the Our Father in the context of Jesus' own praying is significant. Jesus thereby involves us in his own prayer; he leads us into the interior dialogue of triune love; he draws our human hardships deep into God's heart, as it were. This also means, however, that the words of the Our Father are signposts to interior prayer, they provide a basic direction for our being, and they aim to configure us to the image of the Son... to train us in the inner attitude of Jesus... We must strive to recognise the thoughts Jesus wished to pass on to us in these words, but we must also keep in mind that the Our Father originates from his own praying, from the Son's dialogue with the Father."
My highlights bring me to the 'gem' of thought - that Jesus can hardly be more present to us in prayer than by inviting us to pray with him.
The reflections that flow from Pope Benedict's reflections capture the mind directly... the Our Father is always a prayer of Jesus and communion with him is what opens it up for us... [Father] the Our Father does not project a human image onto heaven, but shows us from heaven - from Jesus - what we as human beings can and should be like... if earthly fatherhood divides, hevenly fatherhood unites..[Our] overcomes all boundaries and makes us one family..[Hallowed be Thy Name] God establishes a relationship between himself and us, putting himself within reach of our invocation.. he enters into a relationship with us and enables us to be in relationship with him...he assumes the risk of relationship, of communion, with us - and the more he gives himself into our hands, the more we can obscure his light.. [Thy Kingdom come] the first and essential thing is a listening heart, so that God, not we, may reign...Jesus is the Kingdom of God in person, and the Kingdom of God is present wherever he is present... this request, for a listening heart, becomes a request for communion with Jesus Christ, the petition that we increasingly become 'one' with him...[Thy Will be done.. as in Heaven]...the essence of 'heaven' is that it is where God's will is unswervingly done. Or, where God's will is done is heaven... Earth becomes 'heaven' when and insofar as God's will is done there...
As you may guess, I can't halt my pencil from jotting quotes when I read such words!
… in Our Lord,
William.
Book of Job
TUESDAY SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Job 31:1-8.13-23.35-37
It was turn for me as Reader of the 2nd Nocturn of Night Office. It was from the writings of Saint Gregory the Great
(Moralia in Job 22, 17: PL 76, 237-238) and earlier it made difficult reading. It became more clear in the public reading.
That suggested checking how St. Gregory on Job might show up in Blogs. And sure enough it uncovered another unexpected Resource, aptly called
“Summa Minutiae” - Patristics
[A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought.—Lord Peter Wimsey].
Year II Second Reading
From the writings of Saint Gregory the Great
(Moralia in Job 22, 17: PL 76, 237-238)
(This passage translation 1999 Friends of Henry Ashworth)
Job seeks a helper
After revealing his sublime feats of heroism the saintly Job seeks a helper, knowing as he does that his own merits do not avail for him to reach the highest peak. And on whom indeed does he rest his gaze but the only-begotten Son of God, who took a human nature, labouring in mortality, and in so doing brought nature his saving help? For he it was who, once made man, brought us men his help so that, since the way back to God did not lie open to man, left to himself, it might become so through God-made-man. We are a long way from being just and immortal, unjust and mortal as we are. But between him who is immortal and just and us, who are neither the one nor the other, the Mediator of God and man has appeared: and he is both mortal and just, having death in common with men and justice with God. And because through our baseness we are far from the heights he occupies, he joins in his own person the lowest with the highest, to make a way for us back to God, so combining the highest with the lowest.
Monday, 26 July 2010
COMMENT Jesus of Nazareth
COMMENT - LATER there follows the passage from the book, 'Jesus of Nazareth'
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you" (Ex 20:12 )-this is the version of the fourth commandment that is given in the Book of Exodus. The commandment is addressed to sons and it speaks of parents. It thus strengthens the relationship between generations and the community of the family as an order both willed and protected by God. It speaks of the land and of the stable continuance of life in the land. In other words, it connects the land, as the place for the people to live, with the basic order of the family. It binds the continued existence of people and land to the coexistence of the generations that is built up within the family structure.
by Pope Benedict XVI.
Matthew 12:43-45
From: William J …
Previous
Sent: Tue, 20 July, 2010 21:24:43
Subject: Mtt 12: 47 omission / Joseph Ratzinger
Previous
Sent: Tue, 20 July, 2010 21:24:43
Subject: Mtt 12: 47 omission / Joseph Ratzinger
Dear Father Donald,
… (Pope Benedict -referring directly to verse 47).
While reading (Joseph Ratzinger's) Pope Benedict's book, "Jesus of Nazareth 
to this passage, he has a very interesting comment (on which he expands, page 112ff, having written on the Sermon on the Mount). He writes of Israel's view of the Fourth Commandment anchoring the heart of the social order, the rationale for Israel's social existence, saying that this is exactly the connection that Jesus calls into question (when Jesus is "told that his mother and brothers are outside"... referring directly to verse 47). Pope Benedict writes that while the Torah presents a very definite social order, discipleship of Jesus offers no politically concrete program for structuring society, saying that Jesus' new interpretation of the fourth commandment affects not only the parent-child relation, but the entire scope of the social structure of the people of Israel
to this passage, he has a very interesting comment (on which he expands, page 112ff, having written on the Sermon on the Mount). He writes of Israel's view of the Fourth Commandment anchoring the heart of the social order, the rationale for Israel's social existence, saying that this is exactly the connection that Jesus calls into question (when Jesus is "told that his mother and brothers are outside"... referring directly to verse 47). Pope Benedict writes that while the Torah presents a very definite social order, discipleship of Jesus offers no politically concrete program for structuring society, saying that Jesus' new interpretation of the fourth commandment affects not only the parent-child relation, but the entire scope of the social structure of the people of % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %
The Fourth Commandment: The Family, the People, and the Community of Jesus’ Disciples (pp.112-123)
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you" (Ex 20:12 )-this is the version of the fourth commandment that is given in the Book of Exodus. The commandment is addressed to sons and it speaks of parents. It thus strengthens the relationship between generations and the community of the family as an order both willed and protected by God. It speaks of the land and of the stable continuance of life in the land. In other words, it connects the land, as the place for the people to live, with the basic order of the family. It binds the continued existence of people and land to the coexistence of the generations that is built up within the family structure. Now, Rabbi Neusner rightly sees this commandment as anchoring the heart of the social order, the cohesion of the "eternal Israel Israel that is threatened by Jesus' message, and the foundations of Israel Israel Israel
But this is exactly the connection that Jesus calls into question. He is told that his mother and brothers are outside waiting to speak to him. His answer: "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" And he stretches out his hand over his disciples and says: "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Mt 12:46-50).
Faced with this text, Neusner asks: "Does Jesus not teach me to violate one of the two great commandments .... that concern the social order?" (p. 59). The accusation here is a twofold one. The first problem is the seeming individualism of Jesus' message. While the Torah presents a very definite social order, giving the people a juridical and social framework for war and peace, for just politics and for daily life, there is nothing like that to be found in Jesus' teaching. Discipleship of Jesus offers no politically concrete program for structuring society. The Sermon on the Mount cannot serve as a foundation for a state and a social order, as is frequently and correctly observed. Its message seems to be located on another level. Israel Israel
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Hermit Pere Peyriguere
News from Our Lady of Atlas Morocco
The hermit of Morroco Pere Peyriguere is of great interest.
Thanks to the Cistercian monks of the community of Midelt, Morocco.
The hermit of Morroco Pere Peyriguere is of great interest.
Thanks to the Cistercian monks of the community of Midelt, Morocco.
TRANSFERT DU PÈRE PÉYRIGUERE
Disciple du P. de Foucauld
Les frères de N.D.de l'Atlas sont heureux de vous faire part de leur joie et de leur action de grâces d'avoir pu accueillir dans l'enceinte de leur monastère à Midelt, le 20 Juillet 2010 :
Translation
French to English translation
FATHER'S TRANSFER PÉYRIGUERE
Disciple P. de Foucauld
The brothers NDde Atlas are happy to share their joy and thanksgiving of them have been able to showcase the confines of their monastery in Midelt, July 20, 2010:
Father Albert Peyriguère
Died April 26, 1959
El-Kbab (in the Middle Atlas)
This is our church who we entrust with these words of our Archbishop Vincent Landel Father: "His place is with you ... you live in continuity"
But who is the Father Peyriguère?
A priest from the diocese of
Arriving in
"Caring and dress" the day he was left with that night to pray ... to beg. His whole life was "eaten", "eaten", "sucked" - as he put it - by the poor. He, an intellectual, one day a "finger on" that have done good to the smallest of its brothers of the mountain was more handsome and taller than writing pages of genius on the topics most high and most exciting ...
"There is no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends," said Jesus. This is what the Father Peyriguère.
The heart worn by many labors and austerities, he entered the hospital in
"The marabout had no wife or children, and all his family were poor. All men were his brothers. He gave food to the hungry. He dressed people who were naked. It cared for the sick. He defended those who were unjustly treated. He welcomed those who were homeless. All his family were poor. all men were his brothers.
- God be merciful to him!
For those who want to better know the Father Peyriguère:
• His biography was written by his successor in El Kbab for 40 years, Father Michel Lafon:
"Father Peyriguère"
Editions du Seuil - 1963
• The spirituality
Especially: "Let Christ take hold of you"
For editions of the "Centurion"
(7 editions in French and other languages: German, Catalan, Italian, Spanish, English, Dutch)
• A Slideshow of the brother of Jose Luis Atlas. You can view it through this link:
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest24142-227444-pere-peyriguere-kbbab-maroc-foucauld-midelt-spiritual-inspirational-ppt-powerpoint/
Contribute a better translation
©2010 Google
Shekinah
Sunday 25 July 2010
LUKE 11:1-13
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
LUKE'S GOSPEL SIMPLY SAYS “FATHER” (LK 11:2)
LUKE 11:1-13
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
LUKE'S GOSPEL SIMPLY SAYS “FATHER” (LK 11:2)
The Disciples asked ‘Lord teach us to pray’ and he says, ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. …’
Luke is today’ Gospel, at other times it is Matthew, as it is called ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ – as it fits with ‘The Lord’s Day’, our Sabbath.
The great Jesuit scholar said, “At Mass, all prayer is addressed to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, that is it is always the Father who appears to us as the source of every gift: “Every good endowment and every perfect gift from above, coming down from the Father of lights…” (Jas 1:17). In his presence we feel our unworthiness, but also the permanent possibility that we shall be heaped with good things.
In the days this week that great Hebrew name came to mind, SHEKINAK, Shekinah Glory. It is all about the presence of God. The Israelites departed from Egypt
In our own austere chapel we have our Shekinah. When we visit the Blessed Sacrament in the dawn or the dusk the light plays above the tabernacle.
The history of Salvation fills the history of the Presence.
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Saint Sharbel Makhluf
Saturday 24th July 2010
MASS
We prayed for the people of
Saint SHARBEL MAKHLUF
Born in 1828, Sharbel Makhluf was a monk and priest
of the Lebanese Maronite Order in
who spent many hours praying
before the Blessed Sacrament.
He later lived as a hermit of his order.
He celebrated Mass close to noon
so as to devote the morning to preparation,
and the rest or the day to thanksgiving.
He died in 1898.
Entrance Antiphon
Spirit of God is upon me; he has anointed me. He sent me to bring good news to the poor and to heal the broken hearted. (Lk 4: 18)
Opening Prayer
God our Father,
in Saint Sharbel Makhluf, you gave
a light to your faithful people.
You made him a pastor of the Church
to feed your sheep with his word
and to teach them by his example.
Help us by his prayers to keep the faith he taught
and follow the way of life he showed us.
Grant this through our Lord …
Friday, 23 July 2010
Bridget a Patron of Europe
St. Bridget of Sweden was born in 1303 and died on July 23rd, 1373. 
Her father, Birger, was the royal prince of Sweden Sweden
Her father, Birger, was the royal prince of Thursday, 22 July 2010
St Mary Magdalene
22 July St Mary Magdalene Memorial Mass
Mary at first did not recognize the risen Jesus in the garden. She knew him when he spoke her name. Her great love bursts forth, echoing the first reading, "I took hold of him and would not let him go".
Jesus says, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father". Their now entirely new relationship is a much deeper one. It rests in faith rather than physical contact.
At first, the apostles did not believe Mary. Christ's followers, even today, meet disbelief in their witness to the Resurrection.
Opening Prayer
Father, your Son first entrusted to Mary Magdalene the joyful news of his resurrection.
By her prayers and example
may we proclaim Christ as our living Lord and one day see him in glory,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Prayer after Communion
Father, may the sacrament we have received fill us with the same faithful love
that kept Mary Magdalene close to Christ, who
Fr. Nivard
History of Mary Magdalene
For centuries, Christians have wondered about the real identity of this woman who was beloved by Jesus. Many false ideas about Magdalene persist today. For example, early church fathers incorrectly identified her with the sinful woman who anointed Christ's feet at the house of Simon the Pharisee, but there is nothing in the Bible to support this view and much to dispute it.
Others wrongly believed that she was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. We may never know details about Mary Magdalene, but Bible gives us clues about her importance as a significant leader of early Christianity. According to the Gospel of John, after Jesus' resurrection, he first appeared to Mary Magdalene and not to Peter. In other scriptures, her name is first in the list of witnesses (Mk. 16:1-11; Mt. 28:1; Lk. 24:10; Jn. 20:11-18; 1 Cor. 15:5-8). As Mary wept in the garden where Jesus was buried, she did not recognize Jesus until he called her name. Her encounter with Christ that first Easter morning was the inspiration of the popular hymn, "I Come to the Garden." One tradition concerning Mary Magdalene says that following the death and resurrection of Jesus, she gained an invitation to a banquet given by Emperor Tiberius Caesar. When she met him, she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed "Christ is risen!" Caesar laughed, and said that Christ rising from the dead was as likely as the egg in her hand turning red while she held it. Before he finished speaking, the egg in her hand turned a bright red, and she continued proclaiming the Gospel to the entire imperial house. Mary Magdalene is considered by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches to be a saint, with a feast day of July 22.
Bringing a taste of the Kremlin to Jerusalem, the 19th-century Church of Mary Magdalene is a distinctive
The
The church is worth a close-up visit as well, for it stands in a tranquil garden and is filled with Orthodox icons and wall paintings inside.
The crypt holds the remains of Tsar Alexander's mother, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, who was killed in the Russian revolution of 1917.
Also buried here is Princess Alice of
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)