Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 409



Reading 1 (Nm 13:1-2, 25–14:1, 26a-29a, 34-35)

The LORD said to Moses [in the desert of Paran,]
"Send men to reconnoiter the land of Canaan,
which I am giving the children of Israel.
You shall send one man from each ancestral tribe,
all of them princes."

After reconnoitering the land for forty days they returned,
met Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the children of Israel
in the desert of Paran at Kadesh,
made a report to them all,
and showed the fruit of the country
to the whole congregation.
They told Moses: "We went into the land to which you sent us.
It does indeed flow with milk and honey, and here is its fruit.
However, the people who are living in the land are fierce,
and the towns are fortified and very strong.
Besides, we saw descendants of the Anakim there.
Amalekites live in the region of the Negeb;
Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites dwell in the highlands,
and Canaanites along the seacoast and the banks of the Jordan."

Caleb, however, to quiet the people toward Moses, said,
"We ought to go up and seize the land, for we can certainly do so."
But the men who had gone up with him said,
"We cannot attack these people; they are too strong for us."
So they spread discouraging reports among the children of Israel
about the land they had scouted, saying,
"The land that we explored is a country that consumes its inhabitants.
And all the people we saw there are huge, veritable giants
(the Anakim were a race of giants);
we felt like mere grasshoppers, and so we must have seemed to them."

At this, the whole community broke out with loud cries,
and even in the night the people wailed.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron:
"How long will this wicked assembly grumble against me?
I have heard the grumblings of the children of Israel against me.
Tell them: By my life, says the LORD,
I will do to you just what I have heard you say.
Here in the desert shall your dead bodies fall.
Forty days you spent in scouting the land;
forty years shall you suffer for your crimes:
one year for each day.
Thus you will realize what it means to oppose me.
I, the LORD, have sworn to do this
to all this wicked assembly that conspired against me:
here in the desert they shall die to the last man."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 106:6-7ab, 13-14, 21-22, 23)

R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

We have sinned, we and our fathers;
we have committed crimes; we have done wrong.
Our fathers in Egypt
considered not your wonders.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

But soon they forgot his works;
they waited not for his counsel.
They gave way to craving in the desert
and tempted God in the wilderness.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

They forgot the God who had saved them,
who had done great deeds in Egypt,
Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,
terrible things at the Red Sea.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Then he spoke of exterminating them,
but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Alleluia (Lk 7:16)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 15: 21-28)

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
"Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us."
He said in reply,
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."
He said in reply,
"It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters."
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
"O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish."
And her daughter was healed from that hour.





REFLECTION

Have Pity on me, Lord. The Canaanite woman calls out to Jesus. From Galilee, Jesus has moved away to the north of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile region, after debating with the Pharisees coming from Jerusalem. This move may effectively end His being maligned and discredited as a lousy and untrained countryside preacher because he does not represent the mainstream Judaism of His time.

Jesus needs a little break. As soon as He gets into the region, however, a Canaanite woman asks for intervention. This helpless mother intercedes for her daughter tormented by a demon.

Another exhausting work to do: Exorcism. Today’s exorcists tell us how hard it is to drive away evil spirits. Not everyone can do it; there are priests officially designated for this ministry. It is not simply saying to the demon, “Get out of her, you devil!” The devil can strike back.

The woman meets resistance from the disciples who say she is too noisy. Even Jesus declares that she is not entitled to the miracle. But the woman refuses to give up, and Jesus praises her great faith and heals her daughter.

Let nothing hinder us from crying out to God who gives in to us if we passionately seek God’s help.

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/



This post has been edited by khool: Aug 9 2017, 03:22 PM

How to Approach Holy Communion Like a Child




Carl Frithjof Smith, “After First Communion”, 1892

My youngest daughter marks the Mass by the songs.

There are five songs. There are four songs left. Did we sing the bringing-up-the-gifts song? She is marking time until the donuts. She is counting down until the donuts. As we get closer to the donuts, she grows more excited. During Mass I told her in hopes of getting her to stop asking, I hoped one day she feels even more so about the Eucharist. It raised the question in me: Am I marking the time of the Mass or am I entering into it more deeply?

Fortunately, I have a child receiving the sacrament for the first time this year to remind me how better to receive. My youngest son will sign up for continuing religious education for students with special needs so he can receive his first communion this spring. Paul’s Down Syndrome means we notice more when he writes his name, when he signs a word, when he takes initiative, because Paul’s words, deeds and actions require more “will” in order to be. Watching him hold his hands in prayer as he walks, and his bow—I know it isn’t imitative, it’s meant. The words “A little child shall lead them,” float into my head. Paul’s reverence when we walk up to receive is visible, and reawakens our own “awe of God.” He is reminding us how to approach our Lord.

It is also a reminder of how easy it is to lose that sense of wonder at receiving the Eucharist, how quickly my own mind can become cluttered by the world, by everything and anything, and how my youngest daughter is the same. We can be in the presence of Jesus, and somehow not see, somehow not hear, somehow not taste. My daughter asked when she could ask again, and I told her to “Trust me.” And knew, that’s what Jesus asks of us as well. She smiled, nodded and held my hand.

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said, ‘Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?’
And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his native place, and in his own house.’
And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Jesus wants to enter under our roof—to teach us, to heal us, to bring us deeper into relationship with the Blessed Trinity. However, when we come to the Mass and do not allow ourselves to enter into the mystery of how this sacrament is the summit of our faith, we cannot expect mighty deeds in our lives. Conversely, if we do approach the sacrament of the Eucharist like a child, if we see with the eyes of faith and hear the word of God joyfully, and feast on the food of everlasting life, we should expect mighty deeds to be done in our souls. Mercifully, Christ gave us the whole of Mass to bring ourselves to the altar, and whether we right ourselves in the first moment of the Mass or at the last moment, or somewhere in between, it is the “yes” that God seeks. Some of us are ready with that “yes” sooner than others. The Mass has all of its many parts so that we may tune our ears, our eyes, our hearts to God. It takes time for all of us “grown-ups” to let all of our everyday fall away so we can approach Jesus as the shepherds or the wise men did, with joyful hearts.

After the final blessing and song, my daughter looked at me with bright, hopeful and expectant eyes, but she didn’t even need to ask. “Yes. There will be donuts.”

Source: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/antonetti/h...ld#.WYq0WrjSvP6

Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr
Lectionary: 618



Reading 1 (2 Cor 9:6-10)

Brothers and sisters:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:

He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.

The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9)

R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

Lavishly he gives to the poor,
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

Alleluia (Jn 8:12bc)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of life, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 12:24-26)

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me."



REFLECTION

WHOEVER SERVES ME MUST FOLLOW ME. Jesus says this to His disciples after Andrew and Philip inform Him about the coming of some Greek visitors wanting to see Him. He teaches the necessity of dying in order to give life and regain one’s own life.

Jesus says that whoever serves Him must follow Him. Do serving and following not mean the same? Here, yes. They differ from each other in meaning. Serving (diakonia) is doing a favor, like preparing food or carrying loads for the journey, or waiting upon another. Following Jesus (akoloutheo) is accompanying Him wherever He goes. It is also learning from Him and His way of thinking.

Discipleship is literally journeying with Jesus up to the end. There is no turning back or giving up.

We easily serve Christ in the beginning, but we let Him go later. We are detached from Him and His teachings. We can be good social workers – giving our best service to the community, having our own humanism, and acting according to our theories and ideologies. Unless we put on the mind of Jesus and follow in His footsteps, however, we cannot be called Christians.

To serve and follow Christ is to be willing to journey and die with Him. Are you ready for this?



SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/



This post has been edited by khool: Aug 10 2017, 10:40 AM

Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr



Lawrence was a Roman deacon under Pope St. Sixtus II. Four days after this pope was put to death, Lawrence and four clerics suffered martyrdom, probably during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian. According to legend, Lawrence was placed on a gridiron with coals underneath. After the martyr had suffered the pain for a long time, the legend concludes, he made his famous cheerful remark, “It is well done. Turn me over!"



Source: https://www.facebook.com/catholicapostolate...?type=3&theater

Ten Ways to Open Up to the Holy Spirit



The Gift of Gifts, the Paraclete, the Counselor and Consoler, Friend, Sanctifier, Third Person of the Blessed Trinity—all of these are different titles given to the Person of the Holy Spirit. In an earlier article we explained the power of the Holy Spirit to transform sinners into great saints—as we saw in the Apostles, and especially Simon Peter. Saint John XXIII actually said: “The saints are the masterpieces of the Holy Spirit.” A future saint can be you and me.

In this article we would like to point out ten specific ways that we can deepen our knowledge, love, intimacy and union with the Holy Spirit and thereby allow Him to do the work of transforming us from sinners into saints. It can be done if we become docile instruments in the hands of God who is the Holy Spirit! “Come Holy Spirit, come, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary!”

1. Prayer. Form the habit if praying to the Holy Spirit on a frequent basis. You could pray the traditional prayer to the Holy Spirit: “Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle within us the fire of your divine love.” If you like the hymn in Latin: “Veni Creator”; or the Sequence prayed on Pentecost “Veni, Sancte Spiritus.” Or you might sing the classical hymn to the Holy Spirit, “Come Holy Ghost.” Or it might appeal to you to pray the Litany of the Holy Spirit. Never forget, you can pray and talk to the Holy Spirit using your own words, simply speak to Him from your heart.

2. Acts of the Apostles. Read the book from the Bible, “The Acts of the Apostles”. Written by the Evangelist Saint Luke, this book clearly shows the powerful working of the Holy Spirit in the Apostles—especially Saint Peter and St. Paul—as well as the formation of the primitive church. As you read be keenly attentive to the presence and workings of the Holy Spirit and beg Him to work powerfully in your own personal life! “Come Holy Spirit come….”

3. Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Get to know the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. You received the Gifts of the Holy Spirit the day of your Baptism. These Gifts were fortified the day of your Confirmation. However, these Gifts must be used and exercised. If these Gifts are not used then they become rusty, dormant, and inactive. Memorize them and study them. Here they are: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord. These gifts, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, perfect our intellect and our will—so that we can know God more clearly and love Him more ardently.

4. Silence. We must cultivate zones of silence in our daily lives, even though many of us have to combine the Martha and Mary (The Active and the Contemplative) in a harmonious balance. Still the danger is to launch ourselves into a frenetic activism whereby there is little time for prayer and much less for silence. The Holy Spirit speaks to a heart that is ready to listen in silence. With Samuel in the temple we should pray: “Speak O Lord for your servant is listening.”

5. Docility. Silence is a prerequisite to move on to the next step—docility to the Holy Spirit. A person who is living in the state of grace, honestly pursuing a life of holiness and seeking perfection will be exposed to heavenly inspirations that come from the Holy Spirit. The key is an ability to listen to these gentle but insistent inspirations, discern them coming from God and then the most difficult is to follow and obey these inspirations. The Holy Spirit is so to speak a “Gentleman” and will never force Himself upon anybody. Rather, He waits patiently for us to respond and then He can work very powerfully only if we are silent, humble and obedient.

6. Spiritual Readings. Highly to be recommended, with respect to learning to be docile to the Holy Spirit, is the reading of a spiritual masterpiece “The School of the Holy Spirit”, written by the French spiritual master Jacques Philippe. The essence of this book is very clear and simple. If we want to arrive at sanctity of life we must get to know the Holy Spirit, love the Holy Spirit and manifest this knowledge and love by being docile to His heavenly inspirations.

7. Be Careful and Alert. The work of the devil is to discourage us, make us sad and to push us into desolation and then despair. Be aware of the workings of the Holy Spirit. The workings of “The sweet Guest of the soul” are the direct opposite of the devil. How does the Holy Spirit work? St. Ignatius of Loyola in his rules for discernment specifies how the Good Spirit works. He strengthens our resolve to follow Jesus and fortifies our faith, hope, charity. He infuses peace and joy and energy to follow the Lord. He encourages us to lift our mind to heaven. He consoles us with the thoughts of the eternal salvation of our soul. Therefore, do not allow the devil to discourage you, but let the Holy Spirit encourage and strengthen you.

8. Prayer, Penance, Power, Perseverance, & Perfection. Try to connect these “5 P’s” to union with the Holy Spirit; all are necessary for a constant and growing union with the Holy Spirit. We must pray to the Sanctifier. Also, as Mary and the Apostles acted in the Cenacle for this powerful novena, we must practice penance or self-denial. This will give our will power— or if you like “Will-power” to do good. However, the journey can be long and cumbersome, we must persevere and if we fall bounce back. Then if we are faithful to the first 4’P’s the Holy Spirit will bring us to perfection in the following of Jesus.

9. Loneliness? Problems? If you experience loneliness and are weighed down by many problems then never forget to enter into the depths of your soul and speak to the Holy Spirit whose name is “Sweet Guest of the soul”. You will recognize that you are really not alone and that your problems and crosses are not as heavy as you think. Rather, the Holy Spirit can help you to resolve your problems or at least help you to cope with them.

10. Mary and the Holy Spirit. Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and she is the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. St. Maximilian Kolbe has written brilliantly on the intimate relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit. Also Saint Louis de Montfort has gone so far in saying: “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into that soul,” if you like, as a powerful Frisbee cutting through the air going from one hand to the next. If you want to have a powerful invasion in your heart of the Holy Spirit, a personal Pentecost experience in your life, then why not turn to Mary. As the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles the day of Pentecost through Mary’s prayers and presence, He can descend into your soul through the prayers and presence of Mary. “Come Holy Spirit, come, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

Source: http://catholicexchange.com/ten-ways-to-op...the-holy-spirit

Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin
Lectionary: 411



Reading 1 (Dt 4:32-40)

Moses said to the people:
"Ask now of the days of old, before your time,
ever since God created man upon the earth;
ask from one end of the sky to the other:
Did anything so great ever happen before?
Was it ever heard of?
Did a people ever hear the voice of God
speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live?
Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself
from the midst of another nation,
by testings, by signs and wonders, by war,
with his strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors,
all of which the LORD, your God,
did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
All this you were allowed to see
that you might know the LORD is God and there is no other.
Out of the heavens he let you hear his voice to discipline you;
on earth he let you see his great fire,
and you heard him speaking out of the fire.
For love of your fathers he chose their descendants
and personally led you out of Egypt by his great power,
driving out of your way nations greater and mightier than you,
so as to bring you in
and to make their land your heritage, as it is today.
This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart,
that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below,
and that there is no other.
You must keep his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you today,
that you and your children after you may prosper,
and that you may have long life on the land
which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 77:12-13, 14-15, 16 and 21)

R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.

I remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I remember your wonders of old.
And I meditate on your works;
your exploits I ponder.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.

O God, your way is holy;
what great god is there like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
among the peoples you have made known your power.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.

With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the sons of Jacob and Joseph.
You led your people like a flock
under the care of Moses and Aaron.
R. I remember the deeds of the Lord.

Alleluia (Mt 5:10)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 16:24-28)

Jesus said to his disciples,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."



REFLECTION



He will repay everyone according to his conduct. One’s conduct here is understood in terms of following Jesus, not just socially acceptable behavior.

When one desires to follow Jesus, one must conform to Jesus’ game plan. This is none other than the practice of self-denial. And self-denial means not giving in to one’s own tastes, preferences, and standards but closely adhering to what Jesus wills.

More, it demands taking up one’s cross. This refers to the responsibility that comes with discipleship. There is no disciple without work or burden for the group. One should be willing to do what is doable in the group.

Even more, the disciple should literally follow the way of Jesus that ends in suffering and death. If the disciple is unwilling to die with Jesus, he cannot follow Him completely.

Finally, the disciple has to be detached from material things. Attachment to or the pursuit of material wealth and property disqualifies one from following Jesus. If one shows more interest in the world than in the Kingdom, he cannot be Jesus’ disciple.

Jesus will repay us according to how we have responded to His call to discipleship.

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 115



Reading 1 (1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a)

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.
Then the LORD said to him,
"Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by."
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14)

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 (Rom 9:1-5)

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh.
They are Israelites;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Alleluia (Cf. Ps 130:5)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 14:22-33)



After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
"It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Peter said to him in reply,
"Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
He said, "Come."
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
"Truly, you are the Son of God."



REFLECTION

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus comes to his disciples walking on the sea. And he comes at the darkest time of the night, when they are isolated and in danger.

God’s mastery of the sea is a biblical commonplace. The spirit of the Lord hovers over the surface of the waters in Genesis; in Exodus, God splits the Red Sea in two. In the book of the prophet Isaiah, God is described as having conquered the monsters of the deep.

The water—especially the stormy water—represents all of the cosmic powers that oppose themselves to God, all those spiritual and physical forces that threaten the Church, most especially death itself. In walking on the water, Jesus shows that he is the master of all of these forces, that his power and authority are greater.

Paul says, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus says in the Gospel of John, “I have conquered the world.”

And so Christ comes to his Church precisely when it is threatened. “Behold, I am with you always, even until the close of the age.” The Lord accompanies his Church, coming to it and subduing the stormy forces that surround it.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/BishopRobertBarron...496975343674921





This post has been edited by khool: Aug 14 2017, 02:50 PM

The god of convenience
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Every first day of Chinese New Year would mean paying a visit to the home of the matriarch of the paternal side of my family, my great grand aunt. I used to be fascinated by the images of the Buddhist and Taoist deities placed on top of and below the family altar. I guess its placement indicated the importance of the deity in the hierarchy of that pantheon. One particular year, I noticed a distinctive change in the altar arrangement. It was the placement of a strange looking ‘deity’ among the other more familiar personages. Surprisingly, it was a photograph, not a painting, of a chubby cheerful-looking Indian man with a large afro hair-style, placed at the very center of the altar top. It triggered my innate curiosity. My mother, being ever so intuitive, frowned and forewarned me not to ask any silly and embarrassing questions. My father, clueless as ever, blurted out, “Who is that man in the picture?” My great grand aunt quipped, “Oh, He’s Sai Baba. He’s a powerful miracle worker, a God worshipped by many of his devoted followers.” I must confess, he looked more like a cuddly teddy bear.



The following year, I noticed that the photo-portrait of this god-guru had been relegated to an ignoble spot beneath the altar and in the year thereafter, the photograph disappeared altogether and was never seen again. I guess this god-guru had proven to be a serious let-down to have been booted from great grand-aunt’s list of deities to be honoured and worshiped. This whole little episode got me thinking. How easy it is for people to look for a god that fits the bill, who meets their expectations for prayers answered, disasters evaded or financial crisis resolved. But the soonest they discover that this deity no longer serves their purpose, they are ever ready to change alliances; some even changing gods as frequently as they change their underwear.

This little story is not intended to belittle non-Christian beliefs or dismiss them all as superstition. The purpose in telling this story is to highlight the point that it is often so convenient to make God fit our bill of expectations, to make Him in our own image and likeness. So many, “Christians” included, have created a god in their own image and likeness, a God that sounds like them, think like them, and even feels like them. This is a convenient God to worship, especially when he agrees with your lifestyle, when he tolerates and exonerates what the Church condemns as sin. Unfortunately, there is almost no end to this ridiculous god-making because there is always some new crime or sin that needs to be justified. This is a God who makes no demands of you and doesn’t expect you to change. Rather it is those who hold on to their antiquated scriptures and magisterial teachings who must change. How convenient?

However, the truth is that our God does make demands of us. In the call of Our Lord Jesus Christ announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God, the clarion call to change is made, “Repent and Believe in the good news!” Being able to change is simply part of being a Christian! True, but it is too bad the vast majority of “Christians” don’t see it that way.

The truth is, it’s tempting to co-opt the Lord and His message. The re-envisioning of Jesus is most obvious when it violates actual historical fact, but there are countless subtler versions of the same distortion. There is the Jesus who welcomes sinners and celebrates their lifestyles without asking for change. There is the warm and fuzzy Jesus who only teaches love and mercy, a mercy that doesn’t require repentance. There is the self-help Jesus who came to motivate you to be the Best-You. There is also the Jesus who understands that your personal happiness is paramount, and others are secondary, when you choose to get a divorce or an abortion. And then, there is the radical social-justice orientated Jesus with a political economic revolution to lead. Not surprisingly, most of these Jesuses look much like the Christians promoting them.

It is good to take heed of the wise advice of St. Augustine, who said that “if you comprehend, it is not God. If you are able to comprehend, it is because you mistook something else for God. If you almost comprehend, it is again because you allowed your own thoughts to deceive you” (Sermon 52, 16; see also Sermon 117, 5). Our supposed knowledge and perception of God, which is freed from Divine Revelation, is often prone to self-deception.

In today’s first reading, we accompany Elijah, as he encounters the God of Surprises. Elijah had just won a great victory for the Lord on Mount Carmel but it proved to be a Pyrrhic one. No sooner had he defended the reputation and dignity of the God of Israel over the false pagan god of the evil queen Jezebel, the latter threatened to have him arrested and killed. He fled into the desert where through the ministration of an angel, he was led to this mountain, the scene that we had just heard in the First Reading. He had confronted the false gods of the pagans on the other mountain. But now, he must confront his own demons, his own false images of God on this mountain. He has to silence all his internal voices and put aside all his presumptions that tell him what God is like so that he can receive God as God is. Once Elijah has met God on God’s terms, and not on his own terms, he is open to hear the truth, which sets him free from illusion. God sends him on his last mission to appoint a successor, the prophet Elisha.

In the gospel, we have another incident of mistaken identity that needed to be corrected. The miracle of Our Lord Jesus Christ walking on the water, recorded in three of the Gospels, came on the heels of His miraculous feeding of the multitude. It was the miracle of Jesus walking on the water that, more than any other, convinced Jesus’ disciples that He was indeed the Son of God. But this recognition did not come immediately. In fact, when the disciples initially saw the Lord walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost levitating above the surface of the sea. Had they been waiting in faith, they would not have jumped to this conclusion. This may be the first but would not be the last occasion for mistaken identity. After His resurrection, the Risen Lord was again mistaken for a ghost until He chose to allow His disciples to touch Him and to eat with Him. Ultimately, this challenged them to deeper faith, not just to take the leap of faith and walk across the waters like St Peter, but to accept the deeper truth of the Incarnation, that He indeed was the Son of God.

That is what makes the Incarnation both redemptive yet dangerous. On the one hand, God came near. He took on the frailty of human nature, making possible an unprecedented intimacy between Him and us. His resurrection made possible our resurrection. But there is also something dangerous about the Incarnation. The same humanity that enables intimacy can also become idolatry of the self. Instead of the true Jesus, we worship a ‘ghost’ of our own making. Each of us can recognise some aspect of our own humanity in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is good news, but we can just as easily fixate on that reflexion and exalt it inordinately. When this happens, we are no longer looking at the complete person of Jesus, but only a mirror image of ourselves.

The beauty of the Incarnation is that Jesus resembles all of us while resembling none of us. That tension is the secret to really knowing Jesus. The Incarnated Word makes known to us the face of the Invisible God. By sending His Son into the world on Christmas, God upended everything. In revealing the Truth about Himself, He exploded all the false images based on speculation and human projections, overturned all our presumptions and revolutionise the way we should view the world. His Truth calls us to take a step forward in faith, to view things not from our perspective but from His. If this Truth does not change your mind on a regular basis, then the god that you worship is not God. Your god is the convenience of belief.

Source: http://michaelckw.blogspot.my/2017/08/the-...onvenience.html

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr
Lectionary: 413



Reading 1 (Dt 10:12-22)

Moses said to the people:
"And now, Israel, what does the LORD, your God, ask of you
but to fear the LORD, your God, and follow his ways exactly,
to love and serve the LORD, your God,
with all your heart and all your soul,
to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD
which I enjoin on you today for your own good?
Think! The heavens, even the highest heavens,
belong to the LORD, your God,
as well as the earth and everything on it.
Yet in his love for your fathers the LORD was so attached to them
as to choose you, their descendants,
in preference to all other peoples, as indeed he has now done.
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and be no longer stiff-necked.
For the LORD, your God, is the God of gods,
the LORD of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome,
who has no favorites, accepts no bribes;
who executes justice for the orphan and the widow,
and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him.
So you too must befriend the alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
The LORD, your God, shall you fear, and him shall you serve;
hold fast to him and swear by his name.
He is your glory, he, your God,
who has done for you those great and terrible things
which your own eyes have seen.
Your ancestors went down to Egypt seventy strong,
and now the LORD, your God,
has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20)

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

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.

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.

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.

Alleluia (2 Thes 2:14)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called you through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 17:22-27)



As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
"The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day."
And they were overwhelmed with grief.

When they came to Capernaum,
the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,
"Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?"
"Yes," he said.
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, "What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?"
When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him,
"Then the subjects are exempt.
But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you."



REFLECTION

That we may not offend them. Jesus expresses His willingness to pay the temple tax, though He may be tax exempt, because the collectors are aware that some rabbis ask for exemption. Jesus is careful not to offend the collectors of the temple tax coming from Jerusalem. Not only Jesus but also Peter must pay the temple tax.

The Jewish people, in fact, pay two kinds of taxes: The toll tax and the temple tax. The toll tax is for merchandise moved from one place to another. This is paid to the Romans, the foreigners. The temple tax is for the temple in Jerusalem and for the use of its priests.

Jesus does not want to disappoint His visitors, though they will be the ones to kill Him in the future. It is not yet time to engage with the priests in Jerusalem through their collectors. Jesus is still in Galilee. He knows when and where the action should be. He must reserve the arguments with the priests when he gets to Jerusalem.

Jesus teaches His disciples to hold their fire if it is still premature to engage. There is time and proper venue for everything. There should be no hurrying up, so that there will be no fouling up.

Do you know how not to be offensive?

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/






This post has been edited by khool: Aug 14 2017, 11:20 PM

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, the Blessed Mother, and Me



August 14 is the feast day of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, one of my favorite saints. A Conventual Franciscan, “Saint Max” graciously assisted me during one of the most difficult times in my life – a dark night of the senses – approximately 17 years ago.

The Lord led me to seek spiritual direction from a Conventual Franciscan (much like Saint Maximilian Kolbe in that he was self-giving and self-sacrificing) who guided me on the path to a closer relationship with Jesus and His Holy Mother. At the time, family members, who lived thousands of miles away were seriously ill, my husband was unexpectedly laid off for several months, and we were facing serious financial difficulties. I was ill and unable to work outside our home. The Lord was showing me the meaning of true humility and total dependence on Him. This is when St. Maximilian Kolbe entered into my life.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe was born in Russian – occupied Poland on January 7, 1894. His baptismal name was Raymond and he was the second of three sons born to two lay Franciscans in a poor, but pious family. Raymond had a reputation as a mischievous child who was, at times, a trial to his parents. However, in 1906 at Pabianice, at age twelve, he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary that changed his life.

Saint Max explains: “I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both.”

Joining the Conventual Franciscans, Raymond took the name Maximilian, pronouncing temporary vows in 1911. In 1917, one year before his ordination to the priesthood, Maximilian founded the Militia of Mary Immaculate in Rome to advance Marian devotion. He was ordained in the Eternal City in 1918 and returned to Poland. There he founded the “Cities of the Immaculate Conception” in 1927, institutions that flourished in Poland, Japan, and India which served as centers of Marian-Franciscan evangelization for the Movement.

Father Kolbe employed the mass media, especially the printed word, to spread the ideals of the MI and to encourage others to consecrate themselves to Our Lady. He became director of Poland’s chief Catholic publishing complex, which published both a monthly magazine with a circulation of about one million and a daily paper with a circulation of about 125,000.

As Kolbe grew older, his health, which had never been strong, deteriorated. He was diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis, which was nearly fatal to him. His bout with this serious illness weakened him and he became quite frail. He bore the effects of the disease for the rest of his life, suffering from severe headaches and was covered with abscesses; but these were only minor problems when compared with what was yet to come.

In 1941, Maximilian was arrested by the Gestapo when the Germans invaded Poland and was sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. He took the place of a married prisoner, who had a family, in a retaliatory punishment in the camp. Ten prisoners were being executed because one prisoner had escaped. Maximilian volunteered to die in place of the married prisoner and he was condemned to a slow death in a starvation bunker. On August 14, 1941, his impatient captors, eager to see him die, ended his life with a fatal injection of carbolic acid. He was beatified in 1971 and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1982.

Maximilian was a ground-breaking theologian. His insights into the Immaculate Conception anticipated the Marian theology of the Second Vatican Council and further developed the Church’s understanding of Mary as “Mediatrix” of all the graces of the Trinity, and as “Advocate” for God’s people.

His patronages include: drug addicts, families, imprisoned people, journalists, and the pro-life movement.

My Franciscan spiritual director seemed to be the only person who understood me and could relate to the inner turmoil I was experiencing at the time. Each time I met with him, I also went to see Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, surrendering to him, and waiting for the peace He promises. At times, I was also able to coordinate my appointments with the parish recitation of the Divine Mercy, which helped to soothe and heal my soul.

I was encouraged by the Conventual Franciscans to pray to “St. Max”, who had truly been a wonder – worker for them. “He always comes through!” Praying to St. Max, I thought about the suffering he faced, the unselfishness he showed by the act of giving up his life for another. Even though he was experiencing great suffering himself, he put the needs of others before his own. What a tremendous love he must have had for Jesus to do this and to do it without hesitation. In his last letter to his mother, he made a request to her, “Pray that my love will be without limits.”

How she must have prayed for her son!

Each day, Saint Maximilian grew stronger spiritually in his devotion toward Mother Mary, seeking to emulate her in the pure, unselfish love she had, as she submitted to God’s will rather than her own. Saint Maximilian tells us: “The love of the Immaculate is the most perfect love with which a creature can love God. With her heart then, let us strive to love the heart of Jesus more and more. Let this be our greatest work.”

It was through St. Max that I was drawn into a deeper union with Mother Mary. I returned to praying the rosary daily with my husband and renewed my consecration to Our Blessed Mother at Marytown (the home of the Conventual Friars and the Shrine dedicated to St. Maximilian) in Libertyville, IL, which I had done a few years earlier. There, in the home of the St. Maximilian Kolbe museum, I viewed and venerated his relics, and learned more about his life through photographs.

My renewed love for Mary led me closer to Jesus, who in turn led me to a deeper love for Jesus in the Eucharist. Within a short time afterwards, St. Max encouraged me to divert my attention from my own problems and to focus on those whose lives were on the line everyday – the innocent unborn. He also led me to a deeper appreciation of Eucharistic Adoration and a closer relationship with Mother Mary.

Our situation eventually improved over time, but in the meantime, it was St. Maximilian Kolbe’s example that inspired me and his prayers that supported me.

Here are some of his quotes which have spoken to my heart:

“No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the hecatombs of extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are the victories on the battlefield if we ourselves are defeated in our innermost personal selves?”

“The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers.”

“God dwells in our midst, in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.”

“He remains among us until the end of the world. He dwells on so many altars, though so often offended and profaned.”

“The culmination of the Mass is not the consecration, but Communion.”

“You come to me and unite Yourself intimately to me under the form of nourishment. Your Blood now runs in mine, Your Soul, Incarnate God, compenetrates mine, giving courage and support. What miracles! Who would have ever imagined such!”

“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”

“Let us give ourselves to the Immaculata. Let her prepare us, let her receive Him in Holy Communion. This is the manner most perfect and pleasing to the Lord Jesus and brings great fruit to us.”

– St. Maximilian Kolbe



Source: http://www.jeanmheimann.com/2017/08/saint-...blessed-mother/

August 15, 2017 (Tuesday)
Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Please take note it is a day of obligation, Holy Mass times available from link below ...

https://archkl.org/index.php/en/?option=com...=article&id=980

God bless, and see you in Church!

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary -
Lectionary: 622



Reading 1 (Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab)

God's temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 45:10, 11, 12, 16)

R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,
forget your people and your father's house.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

So shall the king desire your beauty;
for he is your lord.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold.

Reading 2 (1 Cor 15:20-27)

Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the first fruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for "he subjected everything under his feet."

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Mary is taken up to heaven;
a chorus of angels exults.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 1:39-56)



Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."

And Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever."

Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.



REFLECTION

How can we share in Mary’s victory over sin and death? We need to have the faith of Mary to allow God to do the impossible. This was what Elizabeth said of Mary. “Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Mary did not hesitate to say “Yes” to the Lord in spite of all the different voices discouraging her. She did not know how God would make use of her for the salvation of humanity and how she could be the mother of the saviour. In faith, she said “Yes” to His divine will and then responded as best as she could according to the unfolding of events. She lived by faith and in faith.

She knew her greatness comes from God; not from her. “Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart. He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.” This is especially true in the assumption because it is truly by God’s grace that the Church discerns that God has glorified her because it is fitting to do so, not because she deserves to be glorified.

But her faith is not just a sentimental faith in God. It is expressed concretely in her love for her fellowmen. She was a messenger of the Good News. As soon as she received the news, not about her divine motherhood but about Elizabeth’s pregnancy, she immediately reached out to Elizabeth, forgetful of her dignity. We read that “Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” She said, “For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.”

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Foodforsoulisthewo...945544562368637

Domus Dei et Porta Caeli
Solemnity of the Assumption 2017



During the formative years as Seminarians, one of our regular pastoral assignments was to engage in corporal works of mercy at the Holy Family Home for the Aged at Batu Lanchang, Penang, which is administered by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Many of us looked forward to this particular assignment, not because of the ignoble work of having to bathe, feed and attend to the daily needs of the elderly, but for a less altruistic reason. The Sisters served one hell of a breakfast and lunch! Apart from this culinary feast as motivation, the highlight of the day’s work was to assist at the Sunday mass celebrated in the quaint Art-Deco inspired chapel. Prominently placed above the arch of the main western door of the chapel is this Latin inscription: “Domus Dei et Porta Caeli”, House of God and Gate of Heaven. To anyone unfamiliar with the titles accorded to Our Lady, these words seem to be obvious titles for a Church, offering consolation to both the elderly residents and nuns who cross the threshold as they enter into this house of prayer. However, these titles are not just meant for the Church, but titles most suitably assigned to Our Lady.

So why and how is Mary the “Gate of Heaven”? First, Our Lady is the Gate of Heaven because Our Lord Jesus chose to come to us through her. Blessed John Henry Newman tells us that “it was through her that our Lord passed from heaven to earth.” Blessed Newman saw our Lady as the fulfilment of the prophecy of Ezekiel, “the gate shall be closed it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it, since the Lord God of Israel has entered through it—and it shall be closed for the Prince, the Prince Himself shall sit in it.” Christ, is the long awaited Prince and the closed gates must now yield to Him. Eve’s decision in the Garden of Eden closed the door to an earthly paradise. That gate is forever barred. But now the barrier between heaven and earth has been breached when Christ Himself chose to come into the world through the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; and His death and resurrection renewed the promise of salvation. It was Mary’s fiat, her total, complete willingness to act as the handmaid of the Lord, which provided the means through which the gates to a Heavenly Paradise would be reopened.

But Mary is not just the gate that Our Lord chose to pass through to get to us, she is also the gate by which we must enter to go to Him. Therefore, it is no exaggeration for St. Bonaventure to say that, “Mary is called gate of heaven because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without passing through her.” Furthermore, St. Bernardine of Siena says the following, “As every mandate of grace that is sent by a king passes through the palace gates, so does every grace that comes from heaven to the world passes through the hands of Mary the Gate of Heaven.”

It can be difficult to understand just how Mary acts as a means to our redemption. She is not God, nor did she die in reparation for our sins. But here’s the thing; Mary’s fiat, her unconditional ‘Yes,’ it is absolute perfection, the embodiment of God’s plan for the human race, had necessarily provided the occasion for God to breach the gap, overcome the barrier, and heal the wound of sin separating us from Him. It is the surrender to God’s will by this woman that brought forth the Saviour of mankind.

Since Our Lady’s holy submission to God’s will had reopened the gates of heaven, it is only logical and reasonable that she should be the first of our race to directly imitate the mystery of Christ’s resurrection and Ascension into heaven in her Assumption, and enter through that very same gate. Neither the tomb, nor death, could hold her body or soul. And so, the Church declared in the dogma of the Assumption that at the end of her earthly pilgrimage, Our Lady was assumed body and soul to heaven without knowing corruption.

Though the Bible provides no explicit account of Our Lady’s Assumption, we do, however, have tradition. According to Catholic tradition, Our Lady lived at Ephesus after the death of her Son, although her tomb was thought to be in Jerusalem. It is said that the Angel Gabriel, just like at the Annunciation, was sent to warn the Blessed Lady that in three days she would die and be reunited with her Son in heaven. The archangel gave her a palm, symbol of her victory over sin and death, and instructed her to carry it with her into her coffin. Upon learning of her approaching death, Mary prayed that the Apostles would come so that she might see them one last time. According to the ancient apocryphal text Transitus Mariae, the Apostles were miraculously transported from their various mission lands to Mary’s bedside on clouds. Then on the day of her death the Lord Jesus appeared and bore away His mother’s soul, and He returned three days later, when the angels took her body up into the Kingdom of Heaven. Later, when her tomb was opened, it was found empty.

To the skeptics who are doubtful of tradition John Henry Newman pointedly asks, “If her body was not taken into heaven, where is it? Why are not pilgrimages made to it? Why are not relics producible of her, as of the saints in general? Plainly because that sacred body is in heaven, not on earth.” Further, it stands to reason that the Blessed Virgin Mary would follow her Son in His victory over death by Resurrection and be brought body and soul “to the highest glory of heaven, to shine as Queen at the right hand of that same Son, the immortal King of Ages.”

At the prospect of death many often recoil in horror. We fear that when we finally appear before the Gates of Heaven, our passage beyond the threshold would be barred. But today, we are reassured by the Church once again, that death does not mean the end, but merely a transition to another life, and that there is one who has passed through those gates. And she now stands beside her Divine Son to intercede on our behalf. Our certainty in her intercession is to be found in the beautiful words of that ancient and scripturally inspired prayer to Our Lady, the Hail Mary. The Church teaches us to call upon Mary – now, the present moment, which is in our power, and “at the hour of our death,” which is beyond our power, so that with the help of Our Lady, we may be given the chance to enter Heaven.

Mary is the archetype of the Church and our Mother. The Preface captures well this intimate connexion: Our Lady’s Assumption marks “the beginning and image of your Church’s coming to perfection and a sign of sure hope and comfort to your pilgrim people.” In the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, the Fathers of the Council in a very beautiful way described Mary’s assumption into glory: “Just as the mother of Jesus, glorified in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come, so too does she shine forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come as a sure sign of hope and solace to the people of God during their journey on Earth.” Our Lady now lives where each one of her children will live one day in our own resurrected body. When Christ returns in glory, He will command our mortal bodies to rise from the dead. Then our body and soul will be reunited, never more to suffer or die. Mary’s assumption is given to us to contemplate because it speaks to us of our glorious future if we remain faithful to God. Let us ask Our Blessed Mother, the Porta Caeli, who opens her arms, to her often wayward children, to intercede for us as we continue our journey towards heaven.

Source: http://michaelckw.blogspot.my/

Assumption Day Mass Times for Churches in Petaling District (Aug 15, 2017)

Let's learn how to pray the rosary!

Order of the Rosary Prayer Beads


Apostle's Creed


'Our Father' Prayer


'Hail Mary' Prayer


'Glory Be' Prayer


'Oh My Jesus' Prayer


'Hail Holy Queen' Prayer


4 Mysteries of the Rosary


A small info graphic / FYI on the origins of the Rosary

Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 415



Reading 1 (Dt 34:1-12)

Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo,
the headland of Pisgah which faces Jericho,
and the LORD showed him all the land—
Gilead, and as far as Dan, all Naphtali,
the land of Ephraim and Manasseh,
all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,
the Negeb, the circuit of the Jordan
with the lowlands at Jericho, city of palms,
and as far as Zoar.
The LORD then said to him,
"This is the land
which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
that I would give to their descendants.
I have let you feast your eyes upon it, but you shall not cross over."
So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the LORD,
died as the LORD had said; and he was buried in the ravine
opposite Beth-peor in the land of Moab,
but to this day no one knows the place of his burial.
Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died,
yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated.
For thirty days the children of Israel wept for Moses
in the plains of Moab, till they had completed
the period of grief and mourning for Moses.

Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom,
since Moses had laid his hands upon him;
and so the children of Israel gave him their obedience,
thus carrying out the LORD's command to Moses.

Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses,
whom the LORD knew face to face.
He had no equal in all the signs and wonders
the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt
against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land,
and for the might and the terrifying power
that Moses exhibited in the sight of all Israel.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 66:1-3a, 5 and 8, 16-17)

R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God: "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
Bless our God, you peoples;
loudly sound his praise.
R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
When I appealed to him in words,
praise was on the tip of my tongue.
R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

Alleluia (2 Cor 5:19)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
And entreating to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 18:15-20)

Jesus said to his disciples:
"If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them."



REFLECTION

Where two or three are gathered together. These words of Jesus seem to refer to praying together. But the context in which they are spoken suggests that they have to do with building fraternity.

First, to build or preserve community, erring brothers must be corrected in a fraternal and diplomatic manner, step by step with mercy and love. Mistakes are to be rectified, not condoned; anything that destroys or hurts relationships is against the will of God. Persons in positions of leadership are responsible for the integrity of the community.

Second, Jesus assures duly constituted leaders of the community that their decisions will be respected also in heaven. Their judgments are binding.

Third, a sign that fraternal correction and reconciliation have succeeded is when the conflicting parties now pray together. God will be happy to grant their petitions. Another fruit of their getting together is the presence of Jesus in their midst.

The last line refers not only to prayer but also to activities like meetings, outings, family reunions, and other happenings done in Jesus’ name and graced by his presence. Do you believe that Jesus is present when you reconcile with others?

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.) http://www.ssp.ph/