Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
Lectionary: 643



Reading 1 (Eph 4:1-7, 11-13)

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one Body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ's gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 19:2-3, 4-5)

R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Alleluia (See Te Deum)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Mt 9:9-13)

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.



He said to him, "Follow me."
And he got up and followed him.



He heard this and said,



Go and learn the meaning of the words ...

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

REFLECTION



He saw a man named Matthew. Scriptures abound with stories of persons encountered and called by God while they are going about their daily work. Moses was called by God through the burning bush while he was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro (cf Ex 3:1-2). God indicated to Samuel his election of David as king while the boy was out tending the sheep (cf 1 Sm 16:11-13). Through the prophet Elijah, God called Elisha while he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen (cf 1 Kgs 19:19). God called Amos to be a prophet while he was working as a herdsman and a dresser of sycamores (cf Am 7:14).

Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John while they were occupied as typical Galilean fisherman (cf Mt 4:18-22). In the Gospel, he calls Matthew who is sitting at the customs post in his work as a tax collector. God needs not idealists or idlers but “laborers for his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2).

Pope Francis finds a personal resonance in the call of Matthew. He shares: “Passing by the tax collector’s booth, Jesus looked intently at Matthew. It was a look full of mercy that forgave the sins of that man, a sinner and a tax collector, whom Jesus chose – against the hesitation of the disciples – to become one of the Twelve. Saint Bede the Venerable, commenting on this Gospel passage, wrote that Jesus looked upon Matthew with merciful love and chose him: miserando atque eligendo. This expression impressed me so much that I chose it for my episcopal motto.”

“The Church is made up not of people who are better than the rest, but of people who want to become better than they are” (Anonymous).

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: Sep 21 2017, 03:03 PM

Matthew 9:12 -13

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 133



Reading 1 (IS 55:6-9)

Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Responsorial Psalm (PS 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18)

R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Reading 2 (PHIL 1:20C-24, 27A)

Brothers and sisters:
Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
If I go on living in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me.
And I do not know which I shall choose.
I am caught between the two.
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh
is more necessary for your benefit.

Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

Alleluia (CF. ACTS 16:14B)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (MT 20:1-16A)

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
the landowner found others standing around, and said to them,
'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
'Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
'These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."



REFLECTION

In fairness. God has been accused of sleeping on the job many times over. People say, God does not answer prayers right away. God delays. Why does God allow evil things to happen? In the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, the workers who showed up early accuse God for being unfair, because God treats the early birds and the latecomers equally, paying them the same amount of wages. God seems to condone indiscipline and sluggishness, when everyone should be up on their toes.

The evangelist Matthew writes the parable to defend God. God is God and has his way of doing things. God has his own measuring stick and way of reckoning time. God does not follow the human system of weights and measurements. God’s reward system depends on the generosity of his heart, not on our efforts or measuring devices. God computes according to the abundance of his heart. God has an infinite supply of love.

The Gospel story reminds us not to impose our terms on God. We should not make God act like a human being, in fairness to God. As the First Reading puts it, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (V 8). Our total well-being is God’s top priority. God encourages those who have strayed to return as soon as possible. God does not care whether we have ignored him for so long. God just wants us back. God does not discriminate against the late penitents, in fairness to them.

In the First Reading, Isaiah calls his compatriots to go back to God, to seek him, to turn to him for mercy. The prophet reminds his fellow exiled Jews in Babylon (586-539 BC) that God is merciful, generous in forgiveness, and fair to sinners. After a brief punishment, God will bring them back home.

As Catholics, we experience God’s forgiveness especially through the sacrament of Reconciliation. When we make a good confession, we are liberated from a lot of heavy burdens, from sin and guilt.

In the Second Reading, Paul in prison sees his end is near. This former persecutor of Christians says that he does not mind whether he dies or continues to live. Either is to his advantage. If he dies, he will be with Christ and receive his great reward. If he is allowed to go on living, he can continue his mission. Paul believes that he will go to heaven, not because of his accomplishments, like bringing people to Christ and building Christian communities, but because of the merits of the risen Lord. God has been fair to him.

God is fair to us. God does not sleep but is always on the lookout to welcome us who repent even at the last minute.

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

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 450



Reading 1 (Ezr 6:7-8, 12b, 14-20)

King Darius issued an order to the officials
of West-of-Euphrates:
"Let the governor and the elders of the Jews
continue the work on that house of God;
they are to rebuild it on its former site.
I also issue this decree
concerning your dealing with these elders of the Jews
in the rebuilding of that house of God:
From the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates,
let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay.
I, Darius, have issued this decree;
let it be carefully executed."

The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building,
supported by the message of the prophets,
Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo.
They finished the building according to the command
of the God of Israel
and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius
and of Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar,
in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
The children of Israel–priests, Levites,
and the other returned exiles–
celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
For the dedication of this house of God,
they offered one hundred bulls,
two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs,
together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel,
in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.
Finally, they set up the priests in their classes
and the Levites in their divisions
for the service of God in Jerusalem,
as is prescribed in the book of Moses.

The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion,
sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles,
for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5)

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me,
"We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia (Lk 11:28)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 8:19-21)

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you."
He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it."



REFLECTION

My Mother and my Brothers. Luke, who presents a revered picture of Mary in his infancy narratives, pictures Jesus’ family in a much better light than Mark, his source of material on this episode. He omits Mark’s passage where Jesus’ relatives set out to seize him, believing he is “out of his mind” (Mk 3:21). Neither does Luke mention the incident when upon being told that his mother, brothers, and sisters are standing outside asking for him, Jesus looks around at those seated in the circle and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers” (Mk 3:34).

While not omitting this episode that suggests that Jesus is misunderstood by his family circle, Luke does not present Mary as sharing the same attitude. For Luke, Mary is blessed because of the fruit of her womb (cf 1:42). She is doubly blessed because she measures up to the demand of the Gospel beatitude: to hear the word of God and act on it.

Jesus teaches that relationship with him and with the Father consists not so much of descent from common ancestry as of acceptance of God’s will. Of this last, Mary, Jesus’ mother, is presented as model.

Think of the time when you showed that your love of God took precedence over your love of family. Or vice versa.

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

Behold the Lamb,
Behold Him, who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb!

Hello, I'm a returning Catholic.
May I know what is the salary of a Catholic Parish and Church editor in Malaysia?

Hello and welcome,

Apologies but could you please explain what you mean by 'Catholic Parish' and 'Church Editor'?

I'm not sure either. I attended a mass on last 17th and they announced there's a job vacancy of editor for the church. Parish here means paroki

I see. The best solution is to call up the Church's parish office for an accurate answer then.

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
Lectionary: 451



Reading 1 (EzR 9:5-9)

At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness,
and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees,
stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God.

I said: "My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you,
O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads
and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
From the time of our fathers even to this day
great has been our guilt,
and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up,
we and our kings and our priests,
to the will of the kings of foreign lands,
to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace,
as is the case today.

"And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God,
who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place;
thus our God has brightened our eyes
and given us relief in our servitude.
For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us;
rather, he has turned the good will
of the kings of Persia toward us.
Thus he has given us new life
to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins,
and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem."

Responsorial Psalm (Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8)

R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

He scourges and then has mercy;
he casts down to the depths of the nether world,
and he brings up from the great abyss.
No one can escape his hand.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

Praise him, you children of Israel, before the Gentiles,
for though he has scattered you among them,
he has shown you his greatness even there.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

So now consider what he has done for you,
and praise him with full voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of ages.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

In the land of my exile I praise him
and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

Bless the Lord, all you his chosen ones,
and may all of you praise his majesty.
Celebrate days of gladness, and give him praise.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

Alleluia (Mk 1:15)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 9:1-6)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.



REFLECTION



Jesus summoned the Twelve. Jesus is called Rabbi (Teacher) by many of his followers. In the Gospel, we get a glimpse of his ways. While prospective students of the law usually choose the teacher under whom they will study, Jesus’ followers are handpicked by him (cf Lk 6:13). The Twelve are not only mathetai, followers and companions of Jesus in his ministry. They are apostoloi, people who are sent on a mission (v 2; cf Lk 6:13). Jesus expects them to continue his work when he returns to the Father.

Jesus then goes about preparing the Twelve for their mission. He gives them specific instructions so that they will know what to do. He tells them how to cope with tough times. Above all, Jesus empowers them – he passes on to them his authority. The expression “power and authority” is repeatedly used by Luke to refer to Jesus’ ability to rebuke both demons and diseases (4:36; 5:17; 6:19). Encouragement without empowerment is enthusiasm without direction. Jesus himself is the recipient of his Father’s trust and empowerment.

Unlike the other evangelists, Luke also mentions the sending of another group: the seventy-two disciples (cf Lk 10:1-12). In the Christian community, it is not only the Twelve who are active but also “apostles and evangelists” who form a bigger circle and who preach the Gospel far and wide.

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

WORD Today
REFLECTION



"Jesus called the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick."

In today's Gospel, Jesus sends the apostles on a mission of building the Kingdom of God. They would be doing this fulltime when He returns to heaven.

Likewise, Jesus sends all of us followers to do the same, to share in the fullness of His life, to be His feet to seek the lost, His hands to lift the fallen, to be His ears to listen to the troubled, to be His tongue to encourage the hopeless, and to be His presence to accompany the lonely.

And like the apostles, Jesus sends us out with little resources and abilities, lest we think our success depends on ourselves. Our job is simply to plant a seed of His love. He will send others to water and others to fertilize. Ultimately, it is God's job to make the seed grow, flourish and bear fruit, all in His time.

Jesus does not need us; He calls us because He LOVES us and wants our lives to be happy and fulfilled, building the Kingdom with Him. Serving the Lord gives our lives direction. It leads us away from temptations and harmful pastimes. It leads us to spiritual, emotional, and even physical healing. It leads us toward where God has placed His blessings to be picked up. Serving the Lord transforms our lives to be purposeful, meaningful and happy.

But often we resist and object to Jesus' call, saying we have no time, no skills, and no finances. We ought to remember that when God sent His Son to earth, God gave him NOTHING. He did not own anything, not the crib at His birth, not the tomb at His burial, and not a pillow in between (Mt 8:20). But because He had nothing but love for His Father, the Father was able to do everything through Him.

Lord Jesus, help me respond to Your call without hesitation and without condition. Amen!



Source: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicMassReflec...83027035328387/

September 27, Feast of St. Vincent de Paul



St. Vincent de Paul was born to a poor peasant family in the French village of Pouy on April 24, 1581. His first formal education was provided by the Franciscans. He did so well, he was hired to tutor the children of a nearby wealthy family. He used the monies he earned teaching to continue his formal studies at the University of Toulose where he studied theology.

He was ordained in 1600 and remained in Toulose for a time. In 1605, while on a ship traveling from Marseilles to Narbone, he was captured, brought to Tunis and sold as a slave. Two years later he and his master managed to escape and both returned to France.

St. Vincent went to Avignon and later to Rome to continue his studies. While there he became a chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of distributing money to the deserving poor. He became pastor of a small parish in Clichy for a short period of time, while also serving as a tutor and spiritual director.

From that point forward he spent his life preaching missions to and providing relief to the poor. He even established hospitals for them. This work became his passion. He later extended his concern and ministry to convicts. The need to evangelize and assist these souls was so great and the demands beyond his own ability to meet that he founded the Ladies of Charity, a lay institute of woman, to help, as well as a religious institute of priests - the Congregation of Priests of the Mission, commonly referred to now as the Vincentians.



This was at a time when there were not many priests in France and what priests there were, were neither well-formed nor faithful to their way of life. Vincent helped reform the clergy and the manner in which they were instructed and prepared for the priesthood. He did this first through the presentation of retreats and later by helping develop a precursor to our modern day seminaries. At one point his community was directing 53 upper level seminaries. His retreats, open to priests and laymen, were so well attended that it is said he infused a "Christian spirit among more than 20,000 persons in his last 23 years."

The Vincentians remain with us today with nearly 4,000 members in 86 countries. In addition to his order of Vincentian priests, St. Vincent cofounded the Daughters of Charity along with St. Louise de Marillac. There are more than 18,000 Daughters today serving the needs of the poor in 94 countries. He was eighty years old when he died in Paris on September 27, 1660.He had "become the symbol of the successful reform of the French Church". St. Vincent is sometimes referred to as "The Apostle of Charity" and "The Father of the Poor".



His incorrupt heart can be found in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity and his bones have been embedded in a wax effigy of the Saint located at the Church of the Lazarist Mission. Both sites are located in Paris, France.

Two miracles have been attributed to St Vincent - a nun cured of ulcers and a laywoman cured of paralysis. As a result of the first, Pope Benedict XIII beatified him on August 13, 1729. Less than 8 years later (on June 16, 1737) he was canonized by Pope Clement XIII. The Bull of Canonization recognized Vincent for his charity and reform of the clergy, as well as for his early role in opposing Jansenism.

It has been reported that St. Vincent wrote more than 30,000 letters in his lifetime and that nearly 7,000 had been collected in the 18th century. There are at least five collections of his letters in existence today.



Source: https://www.facebook.com/CatholicOrthodoxyB...484122138335368

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 452



Reading 1 (Hg 1:1-8)

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius,
The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai
to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak:

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
This people says:
"The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses,
while this house lies in ruins?

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b)

R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.

Alleluia (Jn 14:6)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Lk 9:7-9)

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead";
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared";
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him.



REFLECTION



Herod… was greatly perplexed. While the Twelve are away on a mission and are busy preaching and healing, Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, is asking questions about the identity of the prophet from Galilee. The Gospel relates that he has beheaded John because John condemned his union with Herodias, his brother’s wife. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus relates that since John had attracted many followers and were ready to do his bidding, Herod nipped future trouble in the bud by having John executed.

While Herod may not suspect that Jesus is a new John the Baptist or a new Elijah, he keeps trying to see Jesus because a prophet is always a “disturber of Israel” for rulers like him. He wants to get rid of Jesus as he has killed John.

This plan will be evident even to the Pharisees who will warn Jesus, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you” (Lk 13:31). Jesus will send a message to the “fox” that no threat will prevent him from continuing his mission of casting out demons and performing healing. It is God who guides His “purpose,” and no amount of Herod’s threat can sway Him from the path – not even the prospect of undergoing a prophet’s “fate” in Jerusalem.

Who then is this Jesus? How will you answer Herod’s question?

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

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels
Lectionary: 647



Reading 1 (Dn 7:9-10, 13-14)

As I watched:

Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.

The court was convened, and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw

One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

or

(Rv 12:7-12ab)

War broke out in heaven;
Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.
The dragon and its angels fought back,
but they did not prevail
and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
The huge dragon, the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
who deceived the whole world,
was thrown down to earth,
and its angels were thrown down with it.

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.
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
They conquered him by the Blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
love for life did not deter them from death.
Therefore, rejoice, you heavens,
and you who dwell in them."

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5)

R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD
when they hear the words of your mouth;
And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD
"Great is the glory of the LORD
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Alleluia (Ps 103:21)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel (Jn 1:47-51)

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."



Reflection



Nathanael is doubtful about a Messiah coming from a small place like Nazareth. Perhaps we too are like Nathanael. At times we judge people by their appearance. But when Nathanael encounters Jesus, he meets his God, for whom he was thirsting and longing to meet. God places in every heart a longing and desire to know the One who created Him and the One who loves Him. Jesus is the One who fulfils our longing and desire to meet our Creator. Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection opens the way for each of us to come to a new relationship with God as His sons and daughters. Jesus opens the way for each of us to “ascend to heaven” and “bring heaven to earth” in the daily circumstances of our life. We need to make our hearts clean and pure like Nathanael to allow Jesus to reach us to heaven to meet our Creator.

BE PURE AND CLEAN IN HEART


Source: https://www.facebook.com/SACREDHEARTOFJESUS...866300486869869