Prayer: Ignatius of Loyola

In times of dryness and desolation, we must be patient, and wait with resignation the return of consolation, putting our trust in the goodness of God. We must animate ourselves by the thought that God is always with us and that we have not necessarily lost God’s grace because we have lost the taste and feelings of it.

 

Prayer: Pope John Paul I

Commonplace love. Often it is the only kind possible. To help others as best you can, to avoid losing your temper, to be understanding, is loving your neighbor in a practical way.

 

The Miracle of Selflessness. The Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2020

The Miracle of Selflessness.

The Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2020

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August 2, 2020

Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 145; Romans 8:35-39; Matthew 14:13-21

The feast described in Isaiah is quite inviting, and yet it reminds me how much we thirst for a vaccine and an end to this viral onslaught. We thirst. We are hungry. We look forward to the day in which we may put away protective face coverings, gather with loved ones, worship as a whole community, and feel safe in any environment. We will celebrate fully once again, though that day may seem far off into the future. The invitation to come closer to God still remains and St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, assures us that it is impossible for us to be separated from God.

In the Gospel, Jesus needs time to grieve as he learns of the news the John the Baptist has been executed. Preaching about the word of God is a high stakes game, and Jesus is able to reflect on the seriousness of it. The crowds do not let Jesus mourn because they thirst and hunger for what God can do to them. They want their needs met, and their concern for their own needs overrule their need to help Jesus get what he needs, and yet Jesus is moved with compassion for the people and he gives the people his time and food for sustenance.

Some scripture scholars says that the real miracle of the loaves and fishes was that Jesus turned a crowd of selfish men and women into fellowship of sharers. The miracle was one which changed not loaves and fishes but the hearts and attitudes of men and women. It was likely that this crowd that followed Jesus were pilgrims who prepared for their journey before they set out. When Jesus produced the little store of food that he had, he thanked God and offered it to the crowds, he gave an example to many other people who began to share from their supplies. In the end, it was more than enough to take care of everyone.

In these COVID times, many will remark on the selfish attitudes of others who will not wear masks because it is their right not to do so. Some say because they do not feel sick, they are safe to be around, or that they don’t like wearing a mask. No matter how much information they receive, their attitudes will not be easily changed. It is not easy to combat selfishness, but we have the attitude that we received from Jesus – selflessness. When Jesus saw the people he had compassion on them and wanted to feed them. He offered what very little he had and create a community that did something greater for one another. We continue to live by his example and to lead others by example. It might be little consolation, but if we believe in the power of the Risen Christ and we continue to offer what little we have, we will be able to see miracles of selflessness unfold before our eyes. Continue to give what you can, and we will celebrate the bounty of your goodwill.

Scripture for Daily Mass

First Reading:

Monday: (Jeremiah 26) I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon.

Tuesday: (Jeremiah 30) For thus says the LORD: Incurable is your wound, grievous your bruise; There is none to plead your cause, no remedy for your running sore, no healing for you. All your lovers have forgotten you, they do not seek you.

Wednesday: (Jeremiah 31) I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the LORD: The people that escaped the sword have found favor in the desert. As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, the LORD appears to him from afar.

Thursday: (Daniel 7) 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.

Friday (Nahum 2) See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah, fulfill your vows! For nevermore shall you be invaded by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed.

Saturday (Habakkuk 1) Are you not from eternity, O LORD, my holy God, immortal? O LORD, you have marked him for judgment, O Rock, you have readied him punishment! Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil, and the sight of misery you cannot endure.

Gospel: 

Monday: (Matthew 14) Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, 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.

Tuesday: (Matthew 14) Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, 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.

Wednesday (Matthew 15) 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.

Thursday (Matthew 17) Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.

Friday (Matthew 136) 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?

Saturday (Matthew 17) A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

Saints of the Week

August 2: Peter Faber, S.J., priest and founder (1506-1546), was one of the original companions of the Society of Jesus. He was a French theologian and the first Jesuit priest and was the presider over the first vows of the lay companions. He became known for directing the Spiritual Exercises very well. He was called to the Council of Trent but died as the participants were gathering.

August 2: Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop (d. 371), was ordained bishop after becoming a lector. He attended a council in Milan where he opposed the Arians. The emperor exiled him to Palestine because he contradicted secular influences. He returned to his diocese where the emperor died.

August 2: Peter Julian Eymard, priest (1811-1868) left the Oblates when he became ill. When his father died, he became a priest and soon transferred into the Marists but left them to found the Blessed Sacrament Fathers to promote the significance of the Eucharist.

August 4: John Vianney, priest (1786-1859) became the parish priest in Ars-en-Dombes where he spent the rest of his life preaching and hearing confessions. Hundreds of visitors and pilgrims visited him daily. He would hear confessions 12-16 hours per day.

August 5: Dedication of the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome is celebrated because it is the largest and oldest of the churches in honor of Mary. The veneration began in 435 when the church was repaired after the Council of Ephesus in 431 when Mary was proclaimed the Mother of God. This is the church where Ignatius of Loyola said his first Mass and where Francis of Assisi assembled the first crèche.

August 6: The Transfiguration of the Lord is an historical event captured by the Gospels when Jesus is singled out as God's Son - ranking higher than Moses or Elijah. In front of his disciples, Jesus becomes transfigured, thus revealing his true nature. Ironically, the anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bomb occurred at Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

August 7: Sixtus, II, pope and martyr with companions (d. 258), died during the Valerian persecutions in 258. They were killed in the catacombs where they celebrated Mass. Sixtus was beheaded while speaking in his presidential chair and six deacons were killed as well. Lawrence, the Deacon, is honored on August 10th. Sixtus is remembered during the 1st Eucharistic prayer at Mass.

August 7: Cajetan, priest (1480-1547), was a civil and canon lawyer who worked in the papal chancery. He later joined the Roman Order of Divine Love and was ordained a priest. He became aware that the church needed reform and he teamed up with the bishop of Theate (Gian Pietro Carafa) and formed a society of priests called the Theatines who lived in community and took monastic vows. They owned no property.

August 8: Dominic, priest (1170-1221), was a Spaniard who was sent to southern France to counter the heretical teachings of the Albigensians, who held that the material world was evil and only religious asceticism could combat those forces. Dominic begged and preached in an austere fashion and set the foundations for the new Order of Preachers for both men and women.

August 8: Mother Mary MacKillop, religious (1842-1909), who worked in Australia and New Zealand to assist the poor, needy, and immigrants to the country, was canonized on October 17^th 2010. August 8^th is chosen as the day in which she will be memorialized on the Roman calendar. I offer the following prayer:

Bountiful and loving God,

You have filled the heart of Mary MacKillop

with compassionate love for those

who are in need at the margins of our society.

Deepen that love within us

that we may embrace the mystery of the Cross

which leads us through death to life.

We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus

who having broken the bonds of death

leads us to everlasting life. Amen.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Aug 2, 1981. The death of Gerald Kelly, moral theologian and author of "Modern Youth and Chastity."

·      Aug 3, 1553. Queen Mary Tudor made her solemn entrance into London. As she passed St Paul's School, Edmund Campion, then a boy of thirteen delivered an address.

·      Aug 4, 1871. King Victor Emmanuel signed the decree that sanctioned the seizure of all of the properties belonging to the Roman College and to S. Andrea.

·      Aug 5, 1762. The Parliament at Paris condemned the Society's Institute as opposed to natural law. It confiscated all Jesuit property and forbade the Jesuit habit and community life.

·      Aug 6, 1552. The death of Claude Jay, a French priest who was one of Ignatius' original companions at the University of Paris.

·      Aug 7, 1814. The universal restoration of the Society of Jesus.

·      Aug 8, 1604. St Peter Claver takes his first vows at Tarracona.

El milagro del desinterés. El decimoctavo domingo del tiempo ordinario 2020

El milagro del desinterés.

El decimoctavo domingo del tiempo ordinario 2020

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2 de agosto de 2020

Isaías 55: 1-3; Salmo 145; Romanos 8: 35-39; Mateo 14: 13-21

La fiesta descrita en Isaías es bastante atractiva, y sin embargo me recuerda cuánto tenemos sed de una vacuna y el fin de este ataque viral. Tenemos sed Tenemos hambre. Esperamos con ansias el día en que podamos guardar las cubiertas protectoras de la cara, reunirnos con los seres queridos, adorar a toda la comunidad y sentirnos seguros en cualquier entorno. Celebraremos completamente una vez más, aunque ese día puede parecer lejano en el futuro. La invitación a acercarse a Dios aún permanece y San Pablo, en su carta a los romanos, nos asegura que es imposible que nos separemos de Dios.

En el Evangelio, Jesús necesita tiempo para llorar mientras se entera de la noticia de que Juan el Bautista ha sido ejecutado. Predicar acerca de la palabra de Dios es un juego de alto riesgo, y Jesús puede reflexionar sobre la seriedad de la misma. Las multitudes no dejan que Jesús llore porque tienen sed y hambre de lo que Dios puede hacerles. Quieren que se satisfagan sus necesidades, y su preocupación por sus propias necesidades anula su necesidad de ayudar a Jesús a obtener lo que necesita, y sin embargo, Jesús se conmueve con compasión por la gente y le da a la gente su tiempo y alimento para su sustento.

Algunos eruditos de las Escrituras dicen que el verdadero milagro de los panes y los peces fue que Jesús convirtió a una multitud de hombres y mujeres egoístas en compañerismo. El milagro fue uno que cambió no los panes y los peces, sino los corazones y las actitudes de hombres y mujeres. Es probable que esta multitud que siguió a Jesús fueran peregrinos que se prepararan para su viaje antes de partir. Cuando Jesús produjo la pequeña tienda de alimentos que tenía, agradeció a Dios y se la ofreció a las multitudes, dio un ejemplo a muchas otras personas que comenzaron a compartir de sus suministros. Al final, fue más que suficiente para cuidar a todos.

En estos tiempos COVIDOS, muchos comentarán sobre las actitudes egoístas de otros que no usarán máscaras porque es su derecho no hacerlo. Algunos dicen que porque no se sienten enfermos, es seguro estar cerca de ellos o que no les gusta usar una máscara. No importa cuánta información reciban, sus actitudes no cambiarán fácilmente. No es fácil combatir el egoísmo, pero tenemos la actitud que recibimos de Jesús: desinterés. Cuando Jesús vio a las personas, tuvo compasión de ellos y quiso alimentarlos. Ofreció lo poco que tenía y creó una comunidad que hizo algo mejor el uno para el otro. Seguimos viviendo con su ejemplo y guiando a otros con el ejemplo. Puede ser un pequeño consuelo, pero si creemos en el poder de Cristo resucitado y seguimos ofreciendo lo poco que tenemos, podremos ver cómo se desarrollan milagros de desinterés ante nuestros ojos. Continúe dando lo que pueda y celebraremos la generosidad de su buena voluntad.

Escritura para la misa diaria

Primera lectura:
Lunes: (Jeremías 26) Romperé el yugo del rey de Babilonia. Dentro de dos años restauraré a este lugar todos los vasos del templo del Señor que Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, llevó de este lugar a Babilonia.

Martes: (Jeremías 30) Porque así dice el SEÑOR: Incurable es tu herida, grave tu contusión; No hay nadie que defienda su causa, no hay remedio para su llaga, ni cura para usted. Todos tus amantes te han olvidado, no te buscan.

Miércoles: (Jeremías 31) Seré el Dios de todas las tribus de Israel, y ellos serán mi pueblo. Así dice el SEÑOR: Las personas que escaparon de la espada han encontrado favor en el desierto. Cuando Israel se adelanta para descansar, el Señor se le aparece de lejos.

Jueves: (Daniel 7) Se establecieron tronos y el Anciano tomó su trono. Su ropa era brillante como la nieve y el cabello de su cabeza era blanco como la lana; su trono era llamas de fuego, con ruedas de fuego ardiente.

Viernes (Nahum 2) ¡Mira, sobre las montañas avanza el portador de buenas noticias, anunciando la paz! ¡Celebra tus fiestas, oh Judá, cumple tus votos! Porque nunca más serás invadido por el sinvergüenza; Él está completamente destruido.

Sábado (Habacuc 1) ¿No eres eterno, oh SEÑOR, mi Dios santo, inmortal? ¡Oh SEÑOR, lo has marcado para juicio, oh Roca, le has preparado el castigo! Demasiado puros son tus ojos para mirar el mal, y la visión de la miseria que no puedes soportar.

Evangelio:
Lunes: (Mateo 14) Jesús hizo que los discípulos se subieran a un bote y lo precedieran al otro lado del mar, mientras despedía a las multitudes. Después de hacerlo, subió a la montaña solo para rezar. Cuando anochecía estaba allí solo. Mientras tanto, el bote, ya a unas pocas millas de la costa, estaba siendo sacudido por las olas, porque el viento estaba en contra.

Martes: (Mateo 14) Jesús hizo que los discípulos se subieran a un bote y lo precedieran al otro lado del mar, mientras despedía a las multitudes. Después de hacerlo, subió a la montaña solo para rezar. Cuando anochecía estaba allí solo. Mientras tanto, el bote, ya a unas pocas millas de la costa, estaba siendo sacudido por las olas, porque el viento estaba en contra.

Miércoles (Mateo 15) En ese momento, Jesús se retiró a la región de Tiro y Sidón. Y he aquí, una mujer cananea de ese distrito vino y gritó: “¡Ten piedad de mí, Señor, Hijo de David! Mi hija es atormentada por un demonio. Pero él no dijo una palabra en respuesta a ella.

Jueves (Mateo 17) Jesús tomó a Pedro, Santiago y su hermano, Juan, y los llevó a una montaña alta por sí mismos. Y se transfiguró delante de ellos; Su rostro brillaba como el sol y su ropa se puso blanca como la luz. Y he aquí, Moisés y Elías se les aparecieron conversando con él.

Viernes (Mateo 136) Quien quiera venir después de mí debe negarse a sí mismo, tomar su cruz y seguirme. Porque quien quiera salvar su vida la perderá, pero quien pierda su vida por mi bien la encontrará. ¿Qué beneficio tendría uno para ganar el mundo entero y perder su vida? ¿O qué se puede dar a cambio de su vida?

Sábado (Mateo 17) Un hombre se acercó a Jesús, se arrodilló ante él y le dijo: “Señor, ten piedad de mi hijo, que es un loco y sufre severamente; a menudo cae al fuego y a menudo al agua. Lo traje a tus discípulos, pero no pudieron curarlo.

Santos de la semana

2 de agosto: Peter Faber, S.J., sacerdote y fundador (1506-1546), fue uno de los compañeros originales de la Compañía de Jesús. Fue un teólogo francés y el primer sacerdote jesuita y presidió los primeros votos de los compañeros laicos. Se hizo conocido por dirigir muy bien los ejercicios espirituales. Fue llamado al Concilio de Trento, pero murió mientras los participantes se reunían.

2 de agosto: Eusebio de Vercelli, obispo (m. 371), fue ordenado obispo después de convertirse en lector. Asistió a un consejo en Milán donde se opuso a los arrianos. El emperador lo exilió a Palestina porque contradecía las influencias seculares. Regresó a su diócesis donde murió el emperador.

2 de agosto: Peter Julian Eymard, sacerdote (1811-1868) dejó a los Oblatos cuando se enfermó. Cuando su padre murió, se convirtió en sacerdote y pronto se transfirió a los maristas, pero los dejó para fundar los Padres del Santísimo Sacramento para promover el significado de la Eucaristía.

4 de agosto: John Vianney, sacerdote (1786-1859) se convirtió en párroco en Ars-en-Dombes, donde pasó el resto de su vida predicando y escuchando confesiones. Cientos de visitantes y peregrinos lo visitaban a diario. Escuchaba confesiones de 12 a 16 horas por día.

5 de agosto: se celebra la dedicación de la Basílica de María Mayor en Roma porque es la más grande y antigua de las iglesias en honor de María. La veneración comenzó en 435 cuando la iglesia fue reparada después del Concilio de Éfeso en 431 cuando María fue proclamada Madre de Dios. Esta es la iglesia donde Ignacio de Loyola dijo su primera misa y donde Francisco de Asís reunió la primera guardería.

6 de agosto: La Transfiguración del Señor es un evento histórico capturado por los Evangelios cuando Jesús es señalado como el Hijo de Dios, clasificándose más alto que Moisés o Elías. Frente a sus discípulos, Jesús se transfigura, revelando así su verdadera naturaleza. Irónicamente, el aniversario del lanzamiento de la primera bomba atómica ocurrió en Hiroshima el 6 de agosto de 1945.

7 de agosto: Sixto, II, papa y mártir con compañeros (m. 258), murió durante las persecuciones de Valeriana en 258. Fueron asesinados en las catacumbas donde celebraron la misa. Sixto fue decapitado mientras hablaba en su silla presidencial y seis diáconos fueron asesinado también. Lawrence, el Diácono, es honrado el 10 de agosto. Sixto es recordado durante la primera oración eucarística en la misa.

7 de agosto: Cajetan, sacerdote (1480-1547), fue un abogado civil y canónico que trabajó en la cancillería papal. Más tarde se unió a la Orden Romana del Amor Divino y fue ordenado sacerdote. Se dio cuenta de que la iglesia necesitaba una reforma y se asoció con el obispo de Theate (Gian Pietro Carafa) y formó una sociedad de sacerdotes llamados Theatines que vivían en comunidad y tomaban votos monásticos. No poseían ninguna propiedad.

8 de agosto: Dominic, sacerdote (1170-1221), fue un español que fue enviado al sur de Francia para contrarrestar las enseñanzas heréticas de los albigenses, quienes sostenían que el mundo material era malo y que solo el ascetismo religioso podía combatir esas fuerzas. Dominic rogó y predicó de manera austera y sentó las bases de la nueva Orden de Predicadores para hombres y mujeres.

8 de agosto: la madre Mary MacKillop, religiosa (1842-1909), que trabajó en Australia y Nueva Zelanda para ayudar a los pobres, necesitados e inmigrantes al país, fue canonizada el 17 de octubre de 2010. El 8 de agosto se elige como el día en que ella será conmemorada en el calendario romano. Ofrezco la siguiente oración:

Bountiful and loving God,

You have filled the heart of Mary MacKillop

with compassionate love for those

who are in need at the margins of our society.

Deepen that love within us

that we may embrace the mystery of the Cross

which leads us through death to life.

We ask this in the Spirit of Jesus

who having broken the bonds of death

leads us to everlasting life. Amen.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Aug 2, 1981. The death of Gerald Kelly, moral theologian and author of "Modern Youth and Chastity."

·      Aug 3, 1553. Queen Mary Tudor made her solemn entrance into London. As she passed St Paul's School, Edmund Campion, then a boy of thirteen delivered an address.

·      Aug 4, 1871. King Victor Emmanuel signed the decree that sanctioned the seizure of all of the properties belonging to the Roman College and to S. Andrea.

·      Aug 5, 1762. The Parliament at Paris condemned the Society's Institute as opposed to natural law. It confiscated all Jesuit property and forbade the Jesuit habit and community life.

·      Aug 6, 1552. The death of Claude Jay, a French priest who was one of Ignatius' original companions at the University of Paris.

·      Aug 7, 1814. The universal restoration of the Society of Jesus.

·      Aug 8, 1604. St Peter Claver takes his first vows at Tarracona.

Prayer: Teresa of Calcutta

Love has to be put into action and that action is service. A mission of love can come only from union with God. From that union, love for the family, love for one’s neighbor, love for the poor is the natural fruit.

 

Poem:“Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do not shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time grow’st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee

Prayer: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.

God, I wish from now on to be the first to become conscious of all that the world loves, pursues, and suffers. I want to be the first to seek, to sympathize, and to suffer; the first to unfold and sacrifice myself, to become more widely human and more nobly of the earth than any of the world’s servants.

 

Prayer: Teresa of Calcutta

Love has to be put into action and that action is service. A mission of love can come only from union with God. From that union, love for the family, love for one’s neighbor, love for the poor is the natural fruit.

Spirituality: “Pain and Suffering” by Fulton J. Sheen

There is a very great difference between pain and sacrifice: Pain is sacrifice without love. Sacrifice is pain with love. When we understand this, then we shall have an answer for those who feel that God should have let us sin without pain.

Suffering cleanses us of sin.

When our lease on life runs out there are two qualities that will be asked. The world will ask: How much did he leave? The angels will ask: How much did he bring with him? At death you will leave everything, but there is one thing you will not leave: your desire to live. You want the only thing the Cross brings you. Life through death.

Found in; Timothy Brown, S.J., Psalms and Compassions: A Jesuit’s Journey Through Cancer, page 96.

Poem: “Batter My Heart” by John Donne

Better my heart, three-personed God, for you
As yet but knock; breath, shine and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit you. but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captivated, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free;
Nor never chaste, except you ravish me.

Hold Tightly to Wisdom. The Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2020

Hold Tightly to Wisdom.

The Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2020

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July 26, 2020

1 Kings 3;5-12; Psalm 119; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52

Solomon’s request for wisdom gives us hope as he is a model for religious and civic leaders. The new king, in his youthful idealism, desires the right judgment to care for the people of Israel and to remain in right relations to God. It shows Solomon’s humility and his understanding of the weighty responsibility that befalls him. God, in customary fashion, desires to be generous and God grants his wishes in abundance.

In the four parables that Jesus speaks in the Gospels, he points to aspects of God’s kingdom, which, as we know, resides in both heaven and earth. The treasure of great worth is preserving with ones’ totality; the pearl of great price is worth devoting all of one’s resources to acquire; the dragnet is one of abundance in which the good fish lives among the bad, and each has to be saved; and the head of the household adopts an attitude of honoring the old while ushering in the new. Each parable is infused with the wisdom of God and is given to us by Jesus to live in right relations to God.

With an election year upon us, we yearn to elect a leader who has the wisdom of Solomon, one who can guides us through our current troubles and can show us that our leaders hear us and know of our concerns and sufferings. We want guidance from scientists, elected and civic leaders, and school officials about the safest ways to proceed to open our schools and to resume life in an untamed virus environment. We desire national and local leaders to help us learn how to proceed with delicate and sensitive discussions on race, gender, and diversity. We wish religious leaders with sensitivity could speak up with moral principles to steer us through these troubled times. Wisdom and care for the people are the keys virtues that we seek and need.

However, we can have responsibility over our own decisions and choices, and we have to figure out how to grow in wisdom to govern our own lives well, as our choices have consequences upon others. We must place ourselves in a constant state of learning so we stay open to new ideas, because, as the parable says, the wise person adopts an attitude of honoring the old while ushering in the new. When we, through our prayer, receive wisdom from God, it is a gift that we are to value and hold onto tightly. We must listen until we understand what God is saying to us, and we have to work it over in our minds until it fits. We then have to accept the gift so that we really possess it and it becomes part and parcel of our life. Then we have to hold onto the wisdom wholeheartedly so that we live out of it and use it as our moral compass. This is our pearl of great price, the treasure on which we stake our lives. It will see us through our troubled times, and it will give us the foundations of happiness that make our lives meaningful and rich. May our prayer for each of us be: Lord, God, give me an understanding heart that seeks you, and in seeking you, finds you right by our side.

Scripture for Daily Mass

First Reading:

Monday: (Jeremiah 13) Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing, and go now to the Parath; there hide it in a cleft of the rock. Obedient to the Lord’s command, I went to the Parath and buried the loincloth.

Tuesday: (Jeremiah 14) Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest, Over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over her incurable wound.

Wednesday: (Jeremiah 15) Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth! a man of strife and contention to all the land! I neither borrow nor lend, yet all curse me. When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart

Thursday: (Jeremiah 18) Rise up, be off to the potter’s house; there I will give you my message. I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.

Friday (Jeremiah 26) Stand in the court of the house of the Lord and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.

Saturday (Jeremiah 26) The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people, “This man deserves death; he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

Gospel: 

Monday: (Matthew 13) The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.

Tuesday: (Matthew 13) He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

Wednesday (John 11) When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

Thursday (Matthew 13) The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

Friday (Matthew 13) Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?”

Saturday (Matthew 14) Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

Saints of the Week

July 26: Joachim and Anne, Mary's parents (1st century) are names attributed to the grandparents of Jesus through the Proto-Gospel of James. These names appeared in the Christian tradition though we don't know anything with certitude about their lives. Devotion of Anne began in Constantinople in the 6th century while Joachim gained acclaim in the West in the 16th century. He was revered in the Eastern churches since the earliest times.

July 29: Martha (1st century), is the sister of Mary and Lazarus of Bethany near Jerusalem. Martha is considered the busy, activity-attentive sister while Mary is more contemplative. Martha is known for her hospitality and fidelity. She proclaimed her belief that Jesus was the Christ when he appeared after Lazarus had died.

July 30: Peter Chrysologus, bishop and doctor (406-450), was the archbishop of Ravenna, Italy in the 5th century when the faithful became lax and adopted pagan practices. He revived the faith through his preaching. He was titled Chrysologus because of his 'golden words.'

July 31: Ignatius of Loyola, priest (1491-1556), is one of the founders of the Jesuits and the author of the Spiritual Exercises. As a Basque nobleman, he was wounded in a battle at Pamplona in northeastern Spain and convalesced at his castle where he realized he followed a methodology of discernment of spirits. When he recovered, he ministered to the sick and dying and then retreated to a cave at Manresa, Spain where he had experiences that formed the basis of The Spiritual Exercises. In order to preach, he studied Latin, earned a Master’s Degree at the University of Paris, and then gathered other students to serve Jesus. Francis Xavier and Peter Faber were his first friends. After ordination, Ignatius and his nine friends went to Rome where they formally became the Society of Jesus. Most Jesuits were sent on mission, but Ignatius stayed in Rome directing the rapidly growing religious order, composing its constitutions, and perfecting the Spiritual Exercises. He died in 1556 and the Jesuit Order was already 1,000 men strong. 

August 1: Alphonsus Liguori, bishop and doctor(1696-1787), founded a band of mission priests that became the Redemptorists. He wrote a book called "Moral Theology" that linked legal aspects with kindness and compassion for others. He became known for his responsive and thoughtful way of dealing with confessions.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Jul 26, 1872. At Rome, the greater part of the Professed House of the Gesu was seized and appropriated by the Piedmontese government.

·      Jul 27, 1609. Pope Paul V beatifies Ignatius.

·      Jul 28, 1564. In a consistory held before twenty-four Cardinals, Pope Paul IV announced his intention of entrusting the Roman Seminary to the Society.

·      Jul 29, 1865. The death in Cincinnati, Ohio of Fr. Peter Arnoudt, a Belgian. He was the author of The Imitation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

·      Jul 30, 1556. As he lay near death, Ignatius asked Juan de Polanco to go and obtain for him the blessing of the pope.

·      Jul 31, 1556. The death in Rome of Ignatius Loyola.

·      Aug 1, 1938. The Jesuits of the Middle United States, by Gilbert Garrigan was copyrighted. This monumental three-volume work followed the history of the Jesuits in the Midwest from the early 1820s to the 1930s.

Aférrate firmemente a la sabiduría. El decimoséptimo domingo del tiempo ordinario 2020

Aférrate firmemente a la sabiduría.

El decimoséptimo domingo del tiempo ordinario 2020

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26 de julio de 2020

1 Reyes 3; 5-12; Salmo 119; Romanos 8: 28-30; Mateo 13: 44-52

La solicitud de sabiduría de Salomón nos da esperanza, ya que es un modelo para los líderes religiosos y cívicos. El nuevo rey, en su idealismo juvenil, desea el juicio correcto para cuidar al pueblo de Israel y permanecer en las relaciones correctas con Dios. Muestra la humildad de Salomón y su comprensión de la gran responsabilidad que le corresponde. Dios, como es costumbre, desea ser generoso y Dios concede sus deseos en abundancia.

En las cuatro parábolas que Jesús habla en los Evangelios, señala aspectos del reino de Dios, que, como sabemos, reside tanto en el cielo como en la tierra. El tesoro de gran valor es preservar con la totalidad de uno; la perla de gran precio vale la pena dedicar todos los recursos para adquirirla; la red de arrastre es una de abundancia en la que el buen pez vive entre los malos, y cada uno tiene que salvarse; y el jefe de familia adopta una actitud de honrar a lo viejo y marcar el comienzo de lo nuevo. Cada parábola está impregnada de la sabiduría de Dios y Jesús nos la da para vivir en buenas relaciones con Dios.

Con un año de elecciones sobre nosotros, anhelamos elegir un líder que tenga la sabiduría de Salomón, uno que pueda guiarnos a través de nuestros problemas actuales y puede mostrarnos que nuestros líderes nos escuchan y saben de nuestras preocupaciones y sufrimientos. Queremos orientación de científicos, líderes electos y cívicos, y funcionarios escolares sobre las formas más seguras de abrir nuestras escuelas y reanudar la vida en un ambiente de virus indómito. Deseamos que los líderes nacionales y locales nos ayuden a aprender cómo proceder con discusiones delicadas y sensibles sobre raza, género y diversidad. Deseamos que los líderes religiosos con sensibilidad puedan hablar con principios morales para guiarnos a través de estos tiempos difíciles. La sabiduría y el cuidado de las personas son las virtudes clave que buscamos y necesitamos.

Sin embargo, podemos tener responsabilidad sobre nuestras propias decisiones y elecciones, y tenemos que descubrir cómo crecer en sabiduría para gobernar bien nuestras propias vidas, ya que nuestras elecciones tienen consecuencias sobre los demás. Debemos ubicarnos en un estado constante de aprendizaje para mantenernos abiertos a nuevas ideas, porque, como dice la parábola, la persona sabia adopta una actitud de honrar lo viejo mientras introduce lo nuevo. Cuando nosotros, a través de nuestra oración, recibimos la sabiduría de Dios, es un regalo que debemos valorar y mantener firmemente. Debemos escuchar hasta que comprendamos lo que Dios nos está diciendo, y tenemos que trabajarlo en nuestras mentes hasta que encaje. Luego tenemos que aceptar el regalo para que realmente lo poseamos y se convierta en parte integral de nuestra vida. Luego tenemos que aferrarnos a la sabiduría de todo corazón para vivir de ella y usarla como nuestra brújula moral. Esta es nuestra perla de gran precio, el tesoro en el que arriesgamos nuestras vidas. Nos verá a través de nuestros tiempos difíciles, y nos dará los cimientos de la felicidad que hacen que nuestras vidas sean significativas y ricas. Que nuestra oración por cada uno de nosotros sea: Señor, Dios, dame un corazón comprensivo que te busque y, al buscarte, te encuentre a nuestro lado.

Escritura para la misa diaria

Primera lectura:

Lunes: (Jeremías 13) Toma el taparrabos que compraste y llevas puesto, y ve ahora al Parath; esconderlo en una hendidura de la roca. Obediente a la orden del Señor, fui al Parath y enterré el taparrabos.

Martes: (Jeremías 14) Deje que mis ojos fluyan con lágrimas día y noche, sin descanso, sobre la gran destrucción que abruma a la hija virgen de mi pueblo, sobre su herida incurable.

Miércoles: (Jeremías 15) ¡Ay de mí, madre, que me hayas dado a luz! ¡Un hombre de lucha y contención por toda la tierra! No tomo prestado ni presto, pero todos me maldicen. Cuando encontré tus palabras, las devoré; se convirtieron en mi alegría y la felicidad de mi corazón

Jueves: (Jeremías 18) Levántate, vete a la casa del alfarero; allí te daré mi mensaje. Bajé a la casa del alfarero y allí estaba él, trabajando al volante. Cada vez que el objeto de arcilla que estaba haciendo resultaba mal en su mano, lo intentaba nuevamente, haciendo de la arcilla otro objeto de cualquier tipo que quisiera.

Viernes (Jeremías 26) Párate en el patio de la casa del Señor y habla a la gente de todas las ciudades de Judá que vienen a adorar en la casa del Señor; lo que yo te ordene, diles y no omitas nada.

Sábado (Jeremías 26) Los sacerdotes y profetas dijeron a los príncipes y a todo el pueblo: “Este hombre merece la muerte; Él ha profetizado contra esta ciudad, como has oído con tus propios oídos.

Evangelio:

Lunes: (Mateo 13) El Reino de los cielos es como una semilla de mostaza que una persona tomó y sembró en un campo. Es la más pequeña de todas las semillas, pero cuando está completamente desarrollada es la más grande de las plantas. Se convierte en un gran arbusto, y las ‘aves del cielo vienen y moran en sus ramas.

Martes: (Mateo 13) El que siembra buena semilla es el Hijo del Hombre, el campo es el mundo, la buena semilla los hijos del Reino. Las malas hierbas son los hijos del maligno, y el enemigo que las siembra es el diablo. La cosecha es el fin de la era, y los cosechadores son ángeles.

Miércoles (Juan 11) Cuando Marta escuchó que Jesús venía, fue a su encuentro; pero Mary se sentó en casa. Marta le dijo a Jesús: «Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, mi hermano no habría muerto.

Jueves (Mateo 13) El Reino de los cielos es como una red arrojada al mar, que recoge peces de todo tipo. Cuando está lleno, lo llevan a tierra y se sientan a poner lo que es bueno en baldes. Lo que es malo lo tiran a la basura.

Viernes (Mateo 13) ¿De dónde sacó este hombre tanta sabiduría y hechos tan poderosos? ¿No es el hijo del carpintero? ¿No se llama su madre Mary y sus hermanos James, Joseph, Simon y Judas? ¿No están todas sus hermanas con nosotros? ¿De dónde sacó este hombre todo esto?

Sábado (Mateo 14) Herodes el tetrarca se enteró de la reputación de Jesús y dijo a sus siervos: “Este hombre es Juan el Bautista. Ha resucitado de la muerte; es por eso que poderosos poderes están trabajando en él ".

Santos de la semana

26 de julio: Joaquín y Ana, los padres de María (siglo I) son nombres atribuidos a los abuelos de Jesús a través del Proto-Evangelio de Santiago. Estos nombres aparecieron en la tradición cristiana, aunque no sabemos nada con certeza sobre sus vidas. La devoción de Ana comenzó en Constantinopla en el siglo VI, mientras que Joaquín ganó la aclamación en Occidente en el siglo XVI. Fue venerado en las iglesias orientales desde los primeros tiempos.

29 de julio: Marta (siglo I), es la hermana de María y Lázaro de Betania, cerca de Jerusalén. Martha es considerada la hermana ocupada y atenta a las actividades, mientras que Mary es más contemplativa. Marta es conocida por su hospitalidad y fidelidad. Ella proclamó su creencia de que Jesús era el Cristo cuando apareció después de que Lázaro había muerto.

30 de julio: Peter Chrysologus, obispo y doctor (406-450), era el arzobispo de Ravenna, Italia en el siglo V cuando los fieles se volvieron laxos y adoptaron prácticas paganas. Revivió la fe a través de su predicación. Se tituló Crisólogo por sus "palabras de oro".

31 de julio: Ignacio de Loyola, sacerdote (1491-1556), es uno de los fundadores de los jesuitas y autor de los Ejercicios espirituales. Como noble vasco, fue herido en una batalla en Pamplona, ​​en el noreste de España, y convaleció en su castillo, donde se dio cuenta de que seguía una metodología de discernimiento de espíritus. Cuando se recuperó, ministró a los enfermos y moribundos y luego se retiró a una cueva en Manresa, España, donde tuvo experiencias que formaron la base de Los Ejercicios Espirituales. Para predicar, estudió latín, obtuvo una maestría en la Universidad de París y luego reunió a otros estudiantes para servir a Jesús. Francis Xavier y Peter Faber fueron sus primeros amigos. Después de la ordenación, Ignacio y sus nueve amigos fueron a Roma, donde se convirtieron formalmente en la Compañía de Jesús. La mayoría de los jesuitas fueron enviados en misión, pero Ignacio se quedó en Roma dirigiendo el creciente orden religioso, componiendo sus constituciones y perfeccionando los Ejercicios Espirituales. Murió en 1556 y la orden de los jesuitas ya tenía 1,000 hombres.

1 de agosto: Alfonso Liguori, obispo y médico (1696-1787), fundó una banda de sacerdotes misioneros que se convirtieron en los Redentoristas. Escribió un libro llamado "Teología moral" que vinculaba los aspectos legales con la bondad y la compasión por los demás. Se hizo conocido por su forma receptiva y reflexiva de lidiar con las confesiones.

Esta semana en la historia jesuita

• 26 de julio de 1872. En Roma, la mayor parte de la casa profesa del Gesu fue incautada y apropiada por el gobierno piamontés.

• 27 de julio de 1609. El papa Pablo V beatifica a Ignacio.

• 28 de julio de 1564. En un consistorio celebrado ante veinticuatro cardenales, el Papa Pablo IV anunció su intención de confiar el Seminario Romano a la Sociedad.

• 29 de julio de 1865. La muerte en Cincinnati, Ohio del p. Peter Arnoudt, un belga. Fue el autor de La imitación del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús.

• 30 de julio de 1556. Mientras yacía cerca de la muerte, Ignacio le pidió a Juan de Polanco que fuera a buscarle la bendición del Papa.

• 31 de julio de 1556. La muerte en Roma de Ignacio de Loyola.

• 1 de agosto de 1938. Los jesuitas de los Estados Unidos medios, por Gilbert Garrigan, tenían derechos de autor. Este monumental trabajo de tres volúmenes siguió la historia de los jesuitas en el Medio Oeste desde principios de la década de 1820 hasta la década de 1930.

Poem: “When I Say … “I am a Christian” by Maya Angelou

When I say … “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”
I’m whispering “I was lost.
Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say … “I am a Christian,”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
And need Christ to be my guide.

When I say … “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say … “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting that I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say … “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are too visible
But God believes I am worth it.

When I say … “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say … “I am a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou.
I’m just a simple sinner
Who received God’s good grace, somehow.

Online Zoom Creative Prayer Classes

We will run two nights of prayer in August as preparation for the longer-term class that will meet the first and third Wednesdays from September to October. You do not have to be an artist. We will also have a poetry and prose workshop in September on two consecutive Saturdays. If you'd like to be a part of an ongoing prayer group that looks at prayer creatively, please join in. 

https://www.campioncenter.org/programs/online-evening-of-prayer-the-ignatian-artists-way/

Spirituality: U.S. Catholic Bishops

The evil of racism festers in part because, as a nation, there has been very limited formal acknowledgement of the harm done to so many, no moment of atonement, no national process of reconciliation and, all too often a neglect of our history. Many of our institutions still harbor, and too many of our laws still sanction, practices that deny justice and equal access to certain groups of people. God demands more from us.

U.S. Catholic Bishops Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love - A Pastoral Letter Against Racism (2018)

Prayer: Pope Francis

Lord of the harvest, bless young people with the gift of courage to respond to your call. Inspire all of your disciples to mutual love and giving – for vocations blossom in the good soil of faithful people. Instill those in religious life, parish ministries, and families with the confidence and grace to invite others to embrace the bold and noble path of a life consecrated to you.

 

Prayer: Therese of Lisieux

It is not Death that will come to fetch me, it is the good God. Death is no phantom, no horrible specter, as represented in pictures. In the catechism it is stated that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all! Well, I am not afraid of a separation which will unite me to the good God forever.

 

Prayer: Evelyn Underhill

Jesus, who bade all who carry heaven burdens to come to you, refresh us with your presence and your power. Quiet our understandings and give ease to our hearts by bringing us close to things infinite and eternal. Open to us the mind of God that in his light we may see light. And crown your choice of us to be your servants by making us springs of strength and joy to all whom we serve.

 

Prayer: Henry F. Lyte, Anglican priest

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide; When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O, abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou, who changest not, abide with me.

A God that Does Justice. The Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2020

A God that Does Justice.

The Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2020

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July 19, 2020

Wisdom 12:13-19; Psalm 86; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43

Jesus is teaching us what the kingdom of God is like through the telling of parables. These parables are intended to bring about an immediate reaction within us because we can easily relate to the stories. For instance, we can hear ourselves saying what the household servants said, “Do you want us to go and pull those bad weeds up?” We are meant to have an emotional reaction, so that Jesus can challenge the responses that arise in our hearts and minds. We are resourceful people and we can solve many problems, meaning that we can eliminate the weeds that surround the wheat, but that is not what Jesus wants from us. As we hear the parable, we cannot help but wonder, “Have I sometimes acted like the weed? How can I be certain I am the wheat.” The moral of the story is that we leave the judgment of our souls up to Jesus.

While the Gospel gives us glimpses of particular truths that are part of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Wisdom reading tells us something about how God rules over the world. Our God is one of justice and compassion, which is a delicate reality to balance. As we imitate Jesus, we are called to live out of a faith that does justice and has plenty of room for mercy.

Our faith has to be active, and our interior conversion is not enough. It is God’s grace that calls us not only to win back our wholes selves for God, but to win back our whole world for God. That is a tall order, and we cannot separate personal conversion from structural reform. The church today needs you to be people who are imbued with the “mind of Christ,” who serve wholeheartedly and lead lives of evangelical simplicity and continuing self-offering. Your lives serve as model to others who are looking for a sense that God exists. This is about being, not doing or having. Who we are is more important than what we do. Your life assures them that God is alive and active.

The God of justice and mercy demands that we stand with the poor, the suffering, and the disadvantaged at the core of our beliefs. Pope Francis says the church ought to be the church of the poor and the oppressed because they cannot buy justice or impose it on others. Who are the poor? They are the victims of social injustice, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, and all those who are forgotten or bound by some external societal force. Some theologians will state that God is poor because the incarnation gives God a special relationship with poverty, and while God identifies with the poor, God is, at the same time, infinitely rich and all-powerful.

         It is in the crucified Christ that we see what we do to the poor when we are unjust to them. Through the cross, Christ makes common cause with victims of injustice, and it is through this Christ, the God made human, the God made poor, the God put to death, that victims of injustice find solace, because this same God also was raised from the dead. It is through the crucified Christ, that they find liberation, justice, and peace. What is the kingdom of God like? It is where we all find liberation, justice, and peace, and we regard one another as eternal friends.

Scripture for Daily Mass

First Reading:

Monday: (Micah 6) Arise, present your plea before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice! For the LORD has a plea against his people, and he enters into trial with Israel.

Tuesday: (Micah 7) Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, That dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

Wednesday: (Song of Songs 3) The Bride says: On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves– I sought him but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek Him whom my heart loves.

Thursday: (Jeremiah 2) I remember the devotion of your youth, how you loved me as a bride, Following me in the desert, in a land unsown. Sacred to the LORD was Israel, the first fruits of his harvest.

Friday (Jeremiah 3) Return, rebellious children, says the LORD, for I am your Master; I will take you, one from a city, two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.

Saturday (2 Corinthians 4) For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Gospel: 

Monday: (Matthew 12) “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.”

Tuesday: (Matthew 12) Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

Wednesday (John 20) On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb.

Thursday (Matthew 13) “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich.

Friday (Matthew 13) “Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.

Saturday (Matthew 20) He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers.

Saints of the Week

July 20: Apollinaris, bishop and martyr (1st century) was chosen directly by Peter to take care of souls in Ravenna. He lived through the two emperors whose administrations exiled and tortured him, though he was faithful to his evangelizing work to his death.

July 21: Lawrence of Brindisi, priest and doctor (1559-1619) was a Capuchin Franciscan who was proficient in many languages and well-versed in the Bible. He was selected by the pope to work for the conversion of the Jews and to fight the spread of Protestantism. He held many positions in the top administration of the Franciscans.

July 22: Mary Magdalene, apostle (1st century), became the "apostle to the apostles" as the first witness of the resurrection. Scriptures point to her great love of Jesus and she stood by him at the cross and brought spices to anoint his body after death. We know little about Mary though tradition conflates her with other biblical woman. Luke portrays her as a woman exorcised of seven demons.

July 23: Bridget of Sweden, religious (1303-1373), founded the Bridgettine Order for men and women in 1370, though today only the women’s portion has survived. She desired to live in a lifestyle defined by prayer and penance. Her husband of 28 years died after producing eight children with Bridget. She then moved to Rome to begin the new order.

July 24: Sharbel Makhuf, priest (1828-1898), joined a monastery in the Maronite tradition and lived as a hermit for 23 years after living fifteen years in the community. He became known for his wisdom and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

July 25: James, Apostle (1st century), is the son of Zebedee and the brother of John. As fishermen, they left their trade to follow Jesus. They occupied the inner circle as friends of Jesus. James is the patron of Spain as a shrine is dedicated to him at Santiago de Compostela. He is the patron of pilgrims as many walk the Camino en route to this popular pilgrim site.

This Week in Jesuit History

·      Jul 19, 1767. At Naples, Prime Minister Tannic, deprived the Jesuits of the spiritual care of the prisoners, a ministry that they had nobly discharged for 158 years.

·      Jul 20, 1944. An abortive plot against Adolf Hitler by Claus von Stauffenberg and his allies resulted in the arrest of Fr. Alfred Delp.

·      Jul 21, 1773. In the Quirinal Palace, Rome, Clement XIV signed the Brief for the suppression of the Society.

·      Jul 22, 1679. The martyrdom at Cardiff, Wales, of St Phillip Evans.

·      Jul 23, 1553. At Palermo, the parish priests expressed to Fr. Paul Achilles, rector of the college, indignation that more than 400 persons had received Holy Communion in the Society's church, rather than in their parish churches.

·      Jul 24, 1805. In Maryland, Fr. Robert Molyneux was appointed the first superior by Father General Gruber.

·      Jul 25, 1581. In the house of the Earl of Leicester in London, an interview occurred between Queen Elizabeth and Edmund Campion. The Queen could scarcely have recognized the worn and broken person before her as the same brilliant scholar who had addressed here at Oxford 15 years before.