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.

Scotland Papal Visit

Scotsman Wednesday 25 August 2010

Guide. to Papal Visit published

A Million copies of a handbook including hymns, prayers and articles about the Pope's visit will be distributed to parishes across Britain, the Roman Catholic Church said yesterday.   

 

The publication will provide the words of liturgy and hymns for public events involving Pope Benedict during his four-day trip to Scotland and England next month. He is to begin his trip in Edinburgh on 16 September where he will meet the Queen.   

Susan Boyle to sing for the Pope 

Susan Boyle will sing for crowds at Bellahouston Park as they wait for Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate Mass, it was confirmed today.

The Britain’s Got Talent star will sing the hymn “How great thou art” as well as her signature song “I Dreamed a Dream” before the Mass starts at about 5.15pm.

Following a hymn at the end of the Mass, she will sing a farewell song to Pope Benedict as he leaves the park to travel to Glasgow Airport for his flight to London.

Newman St Bartholomew

John Henry Newman’s thoughts about Saint Bartholomew for this Feast remind of the role, “the history of St. Bartholomew … recall us to ourselves … (not to) go out of his line of life! … when a man begins to feel he has a soul, and a work to do, … and he says, "What must I do to please God?"   Newman’s words here  echo to often quoted prayer:  God created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission - I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next ... Therefore, I will trust him ... If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve him ... He does nothing in vain; he may prolong my life, he may shorten it, he knows what he is about. John Henry Cardinal Newman Official website for Cardinal Newman's Cause for Canonisation www.newmancause.co.uk

24 August

Saint Bartholomew Feast

Gospel according to John 1: 45-31

From a sermon by John Henry Newman
(Parochial and Plain Sermons, volume 2, pages 335-337)

• When Philip told him that he had found the long-expected Messiah of whom Moses wrote, Nathanael (that is, Bartholomew) at first doubted. He was well read in the scriptures, and knew the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem; whereas Jesus dwelt at Nazareth, which Nathanael supposed in consequence to be the place of his birth, - and he knew of no particular promises attached to that city, which was a place of evil report, and he thought no good could come out of it. Philip told him to come and see; and he went to see, as a humble single  minded man, sincerely desirous to get at the truth. In consequence, he was vouchsafed an interview with our Saviour, and was converted.
• Now from what occurred in this interview, we gain some insight into St. Bartholomew's character. Our Lord said of   him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! and it appears, moreover, as if, before Philip called him to come to Christ, he was engaged in meditation or prayer, in the privacy which a fig-tree's shade afforded him. And this, it seems, was the life of one who was destined to act the busy part of an apostle; quietness without, guilelessness within. This was the tranquil preparation for great dangers and sufferings! We see who make the most heroic Christians, and are the most honoured by Christ!     
• An even, unvaried life is the lot of most men, in spite of occasional troubles or other accidents; and we are apt to despise it, and to get tired of it, and to long to see the world - or, at all' events, we think such a life affords no great opportunity for religious obedience. To rise up, and go through the same duties, and then to rest again, day after day, to pass week after week. beginning with God's service on Sunday, and then to our worldly tasks! so to continue till year follows year! and we gradually get old - an unvaried life like this is apt to seem unprofitable to us when we dwell upon the thought of it. Many indeed there are, who do not think at all; but live in their round of employments, without care about God and religion! driven on by the natural course of things in a dull irrational way like the beasts that perish.   
• But when a man begins to feel he has a soul, and a work to do, and a reward to be gained, greater or less, according as he improves the talents committed to him, then he is naturally tempted to be anxious from his very wish to be saved! and he says, "What must I do to please God?" And sometimes he is led to think he ought to be useful on a large scale! and goes out of his line of life! that he may be doing something worth doing, as he considers it.
• Here we have the history of St. Bartholomew and the other apostles to recall us to ourselves, and to assure us that we need not give up our usual manner of life, in order to serve God; that the most humble and quietest station is acceptable to him! if improved duly - nay, affords means for maturing the highest Christian character, even that of an apostle. Bartholomew read the scriptures and prayed to God; and thus was trained at length to give up his life for Christ! when he demanded it.

Clement of Alexandria

Monday, 23 August 2010 Night Office

Clement of Alexandria's Reading this morning was a real depth charge of Scripture Theology, “Adoration of the Divine Word and God the Father.”

Reading: Titus 2: 1-3, 3: 2.  

From the writings of Saint Clement of Alexandria (Cohortatio ad Gentes l:PG 8, 59-63)

We should live reasonable, honest, and devout lives in this present age, as we wait for the manifestation of the glory of our great God

• The Lord has mercy on us, trains, exhorts and warns, preserves and guards us. He rewards us for our learning more than we could deserve with his promise of the kingdom of heaven, his sole return from us being our salvation. For while evil lives on the destruction of mankind: truth, like the bee, harms nothing in nature, and glories only in the salvation of men.
• So you have the Lord's promise and his love for man; it is yours to partake of that grace. And you need not imagine that my song k50f117 of salvation is something new, like a new piece of furniture or a new house, for as scripture says: He was before the morning star; and: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• Our own existence dates before the foundation of the world; because of our future destiny our being began in God himself. It is .to the Word of God that we owe our creation as rational beings, and through him that we belong to eternity, because: In the beginning was the Word. So in respect of his eternal nature the Word was and is the divine beginning of all things; but because he has now taken the name of Christ, a name consecrated long ago and worthy of his kingly power, for that reason I call my song new.
• This Word then, the Christ, is he to whom we owe our life from of old, and the goodness of that life, by the fact that he appeared himself to men. This Word, who alone is both God and man, in teaching us to live rightly on earth conveys us to eternal life. For in the words of that holy apostle of the Lord: The saving grace of God has appeared to all, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly desires, and to live reasonable, honest, and devout-lives in this present age, as we wait for our blessed hope, the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. (Titus 2: 11-13. NRSV)
• This is the new song of the Word, who was in the beginning, and who has now appeared on earth, our pre-existent Saviour. The Word who was with God, and by whom all things were made, has appeared as our Teacher. The Word, who, as creator, made us in the beginning and gave us life, taught us how to live rightly when he came as our teacher, so that later as God he might grant us immortal life.

The Writings of Clement of Alexandria. Wilson, Edinburgh 1867.

Exhortation to the Heathen (Exhortatio ad Gentes)

Chapter 1. pp.20-23. Exhortation to abandon the Impious Mysteries of Idolatry for the Adoration of the Divine Word and God the Father. 

Clement of Alexandria (c.150-215) Clement was born at Athens of pagan parents. Nothing is known of his early life nor of the reasons for his conversion. He was the pupil and the assistant of Pantaenus, the director of the catechetical school of Alexandria, whom he succeeded in about the year 200. In 202 Clement left Alexandria because of the persecution of Septimus Severus, and resided in Cappadocia with is pupil, Alexander, later bishop of Jerusalem. Clement may be considered the founder of speculative theology. He strove to protect and deepen faith by the use of Greek philosophy. Central in his teaching is his doctrine of the Logos, who as divine reason is the teacher of the world and its lawgiver. Clements’s chief work is the trilogy. Exhortation to the Greeks, The Teacher, and Miscellaneous Studies.

Luke 13:25 Words of Awakening

 

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: William J    ... >
To:  Donald    ... >
Sent: Sun, 22 August, 2010 11:11:37
Subject: Luke 13:25 words of awakening

Dear Father Donald,

 

Just to share a little bit of soul searching that might interest you as I read today's Gospel - for I discover something new every time I read a Gospel passage!

 

Today's Gospel has always seemed to me to represent inclusion or exclusion in the Kingdom of Heaven as a [done deed], as a consequence of our faith and the quality of our lives, but the NAB commentary gives a more urgent message that is directed at us today:

 

Luke:13:25 After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking

 

(cf Matthew 25:10 .. those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked)

 

The commentary reads:

 

13:22-30 - These sayings of Jesus follow in Luke upon the parables of the kingdom (vv 18-21) and stress that great effort is required for entrance into the kingdom (v 24) and that there is an urgency to accept the present opportunity to enter because the narrow door will not remain open indefinately (v 25). Lying behind the sayings is the rejection of Jesus and his message by his Jewish contemporaries (v 26) whose places at table in the kingdom will be taken by Gentiles from the four corners of the world (v 29).

 

The commentary 'softens' the statement to a degree by adding the historical context, but I always consider that, as we give ourselves to listen to the Gospels, our faith in Jesus draws us into the group of listeners and thus we become his contemporaries... I do not think we can comfort ourselves by considering that we are, after all, of the 'Gentiles' who being last to hear will, at our departing, instantly be allowed in first!

 

Much soul searching going on in this corner of the crowd wending its way (v 22) to Jerusalem...

 

...  in Our Lord,

William  

 

William, 

Thanks for the Gospel Comment. 
The above view is among Nunraw hidden streams in deep woods. (Donald)