Sunday, March 29, 2020

Meditation for Today

From our friends at Kairos;

Meditation 

If a true "friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17), why did Jesus delay in coming to Lazarus' home when he knew that his friend was gravely ill?

Jesus certainly loved Lazarus and his two sisters and he often stayed in their home at Bethany. But to the surprise of his friends and disciples, Jesus did not go right away to Bethany when he was called. Jesus explained that Lazarus' sickness would bring glory to God. The glory which Jesus had in mind, however, was connected with suffering and the cross. He saw the cross as his supreme glory and the way to glory in the kingdom of God. For Jesus there was no other way to glory except through the cross.
Jesus also knew that it was dangerous for him to travel anywhere near Jerusalem at this time, since the religious authorities in Jerusalem were plotting his destruction. Jesus, however, was willing to pay the price to help his friend. For Jesus to come to Jerusalem at Passover time was an act of courage. The explanation which Jesus gave to his disciples was simple and challenging at the same time. "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" In so many words he said: "There are enough hours in the day to do what one must do." A day can neither be rushed nor extended. Its period is fixed.
Courage to act in the light of God's truth
In God's economy we each have our "day" whether it be short or long. While time is limited, there is enough for us to accomplish what God intends. God gives each of us our allotted portion in life. We can either waste it or use it to the utmost for God's glory. Jesus did not let circumstances or pressure dictate what he would do. Nor did he permit others to dictate his actions or timetable. He took action of his own initiative and in his good time. Don't we often try to get God to do things in our way and on our timetable?
Both the Romans and the Jews divided the day into twelve equal hours from sunrise to sunset. The day's work and travel, however, ceased when the daylight was gone. If someone wanted to get their day's work done, he had to do it before it got dark. Jesus made a spiritual analogy with our relationship with God. While the light of Christ is with us, we must live and walk in the truth and grace of his light. There's a right time to make peace with God, and that time is now. When darkness comes, then judgment follows for those who refuse God and spurn his love.
When Jesus announced that Lazarus was dead and that he was going to Jerusalem, Thomas showed both his courage and pessimism. "Let us go, that we may die with him." This courage, however, was not tempered with faith and hope in God's promise to bring victory out of defeat. Even though Thomas was a witness to Lazarus' resurrection, he betrayed his master when arrest and death stared him in the face. He doubted his master's resurrection until Jesus showed him the wounds of his passion. God gives us faith, courage, and the strength we need to persevere through any trial and suffering we must face in this life. If we embrace our cross with faith and trust in God, then we, too, will see victory and glory in the end.
The hope of our resurrection
What is the significance of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead? It is more than a miraculous event. It is a "sign" of God's promise to raise up all who have died in Christ to everlasting life. That is why Jesus asked Martha if she believed in the resurrection from the dead. The Christian creed, which is the profession of our faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and in the saving power of God, culminates in the proclamation of the resurrection of the dead on the last day and in life everlasting. This is our faith and our hope.
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you" (Romans 8:11).
God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit that we may be made alive in Christ.  Even now we can experience the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in our personal lives. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to change and transform us into men and women of faith, hope, and love. Do you believe that the power of Jesus' resurrection is at work in your life today? Let the Holy Spirit strengthen within you the life and joy of God and the hope of heaven.
God is my help
The name Lazarus means "God is my help". Jesus' parable about the poor man Lazarus, who died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:19-31), ends with a warning: "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead." Through Lazarus' sickness and subsequent death, God brought glory through his Son the Lord Jesus, who raised his friend from the dead in anticipation of his own death and resurrection. Our participation in the Lord's Supper in the Eucharist already gives us a foretaste of Jesus' transfiguration of our bodies.
Irenaeus, a second century church father states:
"Just as bread that comes from the earth, after God's blessing has been invoked upon it, is no longer ordinary bread, but Eucharist, formed of two things, the one earthly and the other heavenly: so too our bodies, which partake of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, but possess the hope of resurrection"(Adv. Haeres. 4,18).
Psalm 27 ends with the great prayer of hope in the resurrection:
"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord!"
Do you find joy and hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Prayers for Today

Lord, so often I fail to love as You desire me to love.  I am selfish and judgmental toward others.  Soften my heart and then place in my heart the most generous love I have ever felt.  Help me to turn that love to those in most need of Your Divine Mercy.  Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord, I desire to follow You wherever You lead.  Give me a firm resolve to walk in Your ways and to imitate the courage of St. Thomas.  When I fail, help me to get back up and resolve again.  I love You, dear Lord, help me to love You with my life.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Heavenly Father, I know that you give us only what is good and that you are paternally guiding us home to you. I trust in your mercy and love. In return I offer you my love, though it is so weak and stained by my egotism. Here I am, Lord, ready to listen to you and to respond with all my heart.
"Lord Jesus Christ, you have ransomed us with your blood and restored us to life with the Father in heaven. May your resurrection be our hope as we long for the day when we will see you face to face in glory."

Fifth Sunday of Lent

5th Sunday of Lent — Seeing or Believing?


Reading 1 Ez 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD:
O my people, I will open your graves
and have you rise from them,
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD,
when I open your graves and have you rise from them,
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.

R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to my voice in supplication.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Reading 2 Rom 8:8-11

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Verse Before the GospelJn 11:25a, 26

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will never die.

Gospel Jn 11:1-45

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany,
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil
and dried his feet with her hair;
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.

So the sisters sent word to him saying,
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
When Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death,
but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill,
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples,
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him,
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you,
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles,
because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death,
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe.
Let us go to him.”
So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples,
“Let us also go to die with him.”
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother.
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.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,

“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”
When she had said this,
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying,
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village,
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her,
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him,
she fell at his feet and said to him,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping,
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said,
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?”
So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”
So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,

“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

It has Worked

So with all the worry that having cancer breeds in one it has been prayer where I can come back to to look for strength. It seems the Lord is truly listening as my results are good. Yes I have some residual complications but no new indications. For this I have to Thank our Lord and various Saints that I pray to and thank for answering my request for help.
 Now with this Corona Virus we all have to pray to get through this so please go online watch TV masses and pray pray pray and yes God will help us through he will hear us.
 Stay safe pray and god bless!

Prayers for Today

Lord, I want to see.  Help me to be healed of my blindness.  Help me to see You at work in every ordinary activity of my life.  Help me to see Your divine grace in the smallest events of my day.  And as I see You alive and active, fill my heart with gratitude for this vision.  Jesus, I trust in You.
"Jesus, in your name the blind see, the lame walk, and the dead are raised to life. Come into our lives and heal the wounds of our broken hearts. Give us eyes of faith to see your glory and hearts of courage to bring you glory in all we say and do."

Lord, help me to let go of all that is not of You.  Help me, especially, to see my sin and to surrender it over to You.  Help me to detach even from family in a holy way so that I am free to love them with Your Heart.  May You, my Lord, be my one goal and love, and in this love may I discover how to love everyone with Your Heart.  Jesus, I trust in You.

Reflection

From A Catholic Moment here is the reflection for today's readings. God Bless!

INTRODUCTION
The readings of last sunday reveal how water symbolically served as the element of salvation, and today, the 4th Sunday of Lent, traditionally known as “Laetare Sunday,” (which invites us to rejoice) we are presented with light as another symbolic element that points to our salvation. This is not just light but Christ himself, the Light of the world who has come to restore the sight of those who are walking in darkness.

FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 16 :1.6-7.10-13
CONTEXT
After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel had another phase of history under the leadership of the judges (men of integrity who played roles as military leaders before the period of monarchy) thus having Othniel as the first judge (Jgs. 3:7-11). Samuel (the last of the judges) within the years of his leadership succeeded in forming a confederation among the twelve tribes. But despite his leadership capacity and the interventions of Yahweh in the defence of the people against external forces, they rather preferred to be like the pagan nations who they judged to enjoy kings and political security. Their request to have their own king got Samuel disappointed, and Yahweh felt rejected by the people He loved. Finally, He granted them Saul as their first king (1030 BC). Though successful in many battles, Saul offended God, and the kingship was taken from him.  It is Yahweh’s rejection of Saul that opens the page of the first reading of today. Prompted by Yahweh, Samuel left for Bethlehem to anoint the next king according the heart of Yahweh.
The description of God’s choice of David over his brothers is a tale of human blindness and their inability to see spiritual truth as God sees it. Divine wisdom searches the soul, knowing every thoughts of the mind and those who will live as children of the Light. Samuel almost lost sight of this Light. But Yahweh did not hesitate to remind him that His vision goes deeper than outward appearances. Hence, David who was the least among his brothers and “the almost forgotten in the choice of his father” became the greatest in the list of God whose criterion of judgement is the heart and not the physique. The Spirit that seized David was a mark of God’s presence in him and a pledge of success in his future mission as king over his people.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 5:8-14
From his Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tries to make a contrast between the time before baptism and that of after baptism as a movement from darkness into the fulness of light in Christ. He tells the Ephesians that formally they were in darkness but thanks to the ritual bath they now have the light of the Lord. He insists that once exposed to this light, they must avoid the deeds of darkness that doesn’t allow the ‘seeds of light’ grow and produce. Thus they must bear the ‘fruit of light’ that is found in all that is good, right and true. Like the Ephesians, our sharing in the light-life of Christ must be reflected in the way we live. There should be no dark corners in our lives. No hypocritical style of living. We are children of the Light and that we must allow to shine in the darkness that surrounds the world around us. But not enough. We also have the obligation to expose the works of darkness. It is a light that must be set in action, that is why St. Paul calls us to wake up from slumber in order to have the fulness of Christ’s light.

GOSPEL: John 9:1-41
The Gospel places us in a time and context whereby physical impairments (and others) such as blindness were considered as a consequence of spiritual or moral deviance, thus generating social and religious segregation. The physical healing of the blind man and eventually his coming into faith is a clear expression of the essence of miracle that is, its interconnection with salvation. It is one of the Gospels carefully selected and read in the early Church during the rite of christian initiation at Easter vigil.
THREE THINGS THAT CHARACTERIZE THE HEALING PERFORMED BY JESUS:
1. Unlike many other passages whereby the sick persons themselves or friends, family members or even masters in the case of servants approached Jesus for healing, but the healing of this man was exclusively the initiative of Jesus. This simply underlines the boundless nature of God’s love who intervenes in the life of his people even when they do not merit it.

2. It was on a Sabbath. This is another strong effort from the evangelist to affirm the divinity of Christ. It is only God who is not a subject to any law because He is the owner of the universe and all that it contains. It equally shows the providential character of God who beats time, day and place to make sure that he provides for his people.

3. The gesture of healing with spittle and sand: In the ancient world, saliva (which contains anti-bacteria) was held strongly to have a healing property especially in ophthalmic (connected with the eye) and skin conditions. By the use of this gesture, Jesus simply tells the man, “I give you that which is part of me.” Not only that. Jesus equally broke the social barrier that might have existed between this man and others as a result of his condition through the symbolic act.

TWO CATEGORIES OF PERSONS IN THE WHOLE NARRATIVE:
1. The first category is the sick man. Situations of suffering especially the ones that have social consequences can generate desperation and make one to settle for any type of solution, but that is not the case here. The gradual unfolding of his story shows that he has a faith-filled disposition for healing. Without knowing Jesus, yet he trusted in the voice that told him to go and wash in the pool of siloam. And did something extra: he did not just go to wash. He equally came back. It is a sign of a new journey of discovery and search for intimacy with Jesus. This is evidenced in his gradual formulation of a credo:
“The man called Jesus told me…” (v.11)
“He is a prophet” (v.17)
He is from God (v.33)
He said, “Lord, I believe”, and worshipped Him (v.38). And as a sign of a new life in Jesus, he stood his ground and defended Him before the Pharisees (v. 27-33) even to the point of being expelled from the synagogue (v.34).

2. The second category of persons:
a) The disciples of Jesus: ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?’ By this question, John the author of this Gospel and part of this group by this indicates that although they had been with Jesus for quite a long time but they were yet to log into his mind. In other words, they were still sharing some erroneous beliefs of the people of their time. Hence, they too need conversion.

b) The neighbours to the sick man: When these saw that he has received his sight, they expressed doubt. They were filled with awe, but not an awe led by faith but an awe led by prejudice. They refused to see him beyond the blind man that they were used to. For this, they remained indifferent and settled with ‘he looks like him’ syndrome. Hence, they are true image of those who do not welcome change in the life of others.

c) The Pharisees: The Pharisees bluntly refused to accept the miracle even when the confirmed from the parents that the man was born blind for two reasons: a) Because of their pride and hatred for Jesus so as not to give him credit. That is why even all attempts to disprove it failed, they told the man, ‘Give glory to God! But as for this man, he is a sinner’ (v.24): b). the second reason is linked to their blind interpretation of the Law. They have always subjected God to the sabbath rest which is a literary understanding of God who rested on the seventh day () forgetting that God who created the universe cannot stop governing the universe, and that He is free to do whatever He likes and whenever He likes which the evangelist affirmed in the person of Jesus as God. Thus, the presence of and their attitude in this narrative is an attempt by the evangelist to point out another type of blindness more serious than that of the sick man (they were spiritually blind).

d) The parents of the sick man: although they acknowledged that their son was born blind, but they were unable to stand their ground to openly profess their faith in the source of his healing knowing that it came from Jesus. They rather played a game of pushing the response to their son on the ground that he is an adult. They did this because of an ulterior motive of maintaining their place in the synagogue. Thus, they represent a set of persons who are much concerned with their position than the truth, and those who prefer to bow to religious leaders but in truth do not have fear of God in them.

LIFE MESSAGE1. OUR WORLD LIVES IN CULTURAL BLINDNESS:
Our culture has become so anesthetized to violence, encourage perverse sexual orientation in the name of freedom, advance the science of destructive practices such as embryonic stem-cell research, justifies homosexual “marriages,” and defends euthanasia as human right. What more can we say about cultural blindness? We live a culture that enjoys false media, normalize immorality and all forms of perversion that destroy the faith. We need the healing of Jesus.

2. INDIFFERENCE TO THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS:
It was obvious that many of those who surrounded the blind man healed by Jesus were indifferent. They preferred that he remain a blind begger and dependent on their mercy. It was a difficult thing for them to rejoice that the fellow was saved from a pain he had had to live with right from birth. We often find it difficult to appreciate the good things that come to others, and we are good at passing judgement and quick interpretations over them. Indifference is form of blindness, and the root causes of this blindness are, self-centeredness, greed, anger, hatred, prejudice, jealousy, addiction to evil habits and hardness of heart. 

3. WE NEED THE HEALING TOUCH OF JESUS
“Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”  This is one of the soul moving hymns that has survived the test of time maybe because it is a life changing narrative of a man saved from the darkness of sin, John Newton.
There is something in each one of us that needs healing. We cannot pretend to be totally fine. Therefore I invite those who wish to hear Jesus say, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” to be free with the Spirit as the amazing grace of God flows once again:
“Through many dangers, tools and snares,
I have already come;
This grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.”


PRAYER
Be close to us your people o Lord, for we count as nothing without you. Let your light shine in our lives for a total miraculous restoration. Amen.

PAX VOBIS!

4th Sunday of Lent Year A, March 22, 2020

First reading
1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13 ©

David is anointed by Samuel

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ When Samuel arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands there before him,’ but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him: God does not see as man sees: man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on.

Responsorial PsalmPsalm 22(23) ©
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
The Lord is my shepherd;
  there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
  where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
  to revive my drooping spirit.
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me along the right path;
  he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
  no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
  with these you give me comfort.
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
You have prepared a banquet for me
  in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
  my cup is overflowing.
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
  all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
  for ever and ever.
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Second reading
Ephesians 5:8-14 ©

Anything exposed by the light will turn into light

You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth. Try to discover what the Lord wants of you, having nothing to do with the futile works of darkness but exposing them by contrast. The things which are done in secret are things that people are ashamed even to speak of; but anything exposed by the light will be illuminated and anything illuminated turns into light. That is why it is said:
Wake up from your sleep,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.

Gospel AcclamationJn8:12
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

GospelJohn 9:1-41 ©

The blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored

As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?’ ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered ‘he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
‘As long as the day lasts
I must carry out the work of the one who sent me;
the night will soon be here when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world
I am the light of the world.’
Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.
  His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’ So they said to him, ‘Then how do your eyes come to be open?’ ‘The man called Jesus’ he answered ‘made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, “Go and wash at Siloam”; so I went, and when I washed I could see.’ They asked, ‘Where is he?’ ‘I don’t know’ he answered.
  They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man. However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, without first sending for his parents and asking them, ‘Is this man really your son who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but we do not know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’ His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.’
  So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! For our part, we know that this man is a sinner.’ The man answered, ‘I don’t know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’ At this they hurled abuse at him: ‘You can be his disciple,’ they said ‘we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man replied, ‘Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don’t know where he comes from! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ ‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.
  Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.
  Jesus said:
‘It is for judgement
that I have come into this world,
so that those without sight may see
and those with sight turn blind.’
Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘We are not blind, surely?’ Jesus replied:
‘Blind? If you were,
you would not be guilty,
but since you say, “We see,”
your guilt remains.’

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary March 19 2020


Image result for solemnity of st joseph 2020

Reading 12 SM 7:4-5A, 12-14A, 16

The LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David,
‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
It is he who shall build a house for my name.
And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

Responsorial Psalm89:2-3, 4-5, 27 AND 29

R.    (37)  The son of David will live for ever.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness,
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R.    The son of David will live for ever.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R.    The son of David will live for ever.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,
my God, the Rock, my savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R.    The son of David will live for ever.

Reading 2ROM 4:13, 16-18, 22

Brothers and sisters:
It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith.
For this reason, it depends on faith,
so that it may be a gift,
and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,
not to those who only adhere to the law
but to those who follow the faith of Abraham,
who is the father of all of us, as it is written,
I have made you father of many nations.
He is our father in the sight of God,
in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into being what does not exist.
He believed, hoping against hope,
that he would become the father of many nations,
according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.
That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.

Verse Before The GospelPS 84:5

Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord;
they never cease to praise you.

GospelMT 1:16, 18-21, 24A

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Stations of the Cross

At this time in Lent we are privileged to be able to Pray the Stations of the Cross. So I have provided you with a link to the prayer and copied it and put up here. I found this at Our Lady's Warriors;

Kneeling before the altar, make an Act of Contrition, and form the intention of gaining the indulgences, whether for yourself or for the souls in Purgatory. Preparatory Prayer
Most merciful Lord, * with a contrite heart and penitent spirit * I bow down before Thy divine Majesty. * I adore Thee as my supreme Lord and Master. * I believe in Thee, * I hope in Thee, * I love Thee above all things. * I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, * my only and supreme God. * I firmly resolve to amend my life; * and although I am unworthy to obtain mercy, * yet looking upon Thy holy Cross * I am filled with peace and consolation. * I will, therefore, meditate on Thy sufferings, * and visit the Stations * in company with Thy sorrowful Mother * and my holy Guardian Angel, * to promote Thy honor and to save my soul. * 
I desire to gain all indulgences granted to this holy exercise * for myself and for the souls in Purgatory. * 
O Loving Jesus, * inflame my cold heart with Thy love, * that I may perform this devotion as perfectly as possible, * and that I may live and die in union with Thee. Amen. 

Jesus Is Condemned to Death

First Station - Jesus Is Condemned to Death

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus, the most innocent of beings, is condemned to death, yes, to the shameful death of the cross.  In order to remain a friend of Caesar, Pilate delivers Jesus into the hands of His enemies.  O fearful crime, to condemn Innocence to death and to displease God in order to please men.
O innocent Jesus, * I have sinned and I am guilty of eternal death; * but that I may Live, * Thou dost gladly accept the unjust sentence of death. * For whom then shall I henceforth live * if not for Thee, my Lord? * If I desire to please men, * I can not be Thy servant. * Let me, therefore, rather displease the whole world * than not please Thee, O Jesus!
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had passed.

Jesus Carries His Cross

Second Station - Jesus Carries His Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
When our divine Redeemer beheld the Cross, He most willingly reached out to it with His bleeding arms.  He embraced it lovingly, kissed it tenderly, took it on His bruised shoulders, and, exhausted as He was, He carried it joyfully.
O my Jesus, * I can not be Thy friend and follower * if I refuse to carry my cross. * O beloved cross, * I embrace Thee, * I kiss Thee, * I joyfully accept Thee from the hand of my God. * Far be it from me to glory in anything * save in the Cross of my Lord and Redeemer. * By it the world shall be crucified to me, * and I to the world, * that I may be Thine forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  O, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother, highly blest, Of the sole begotten One!

Jesus Falls the First Time

Third Station - Jesus Falls the First Time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Carrying the Cross, our dear Savior was so weakened with its heavy weight that He fell exhausted to the ground.  The Cross was light and sweet to Him, but our sins made it so heavy and hard to carry.
Beloved Jesus, * Thou didst carry the burden and the heavy weight of my sins. * Should I then not bear in union with Thee * my light burden of suffering, * and accept the sweet yoke of Thy commandments? * Thy yoke is sweet and Thy burden is light. * I willingly accept it. * I will take up my cross and follow Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Christ above in torment hands:  She beneath beholds the pangs  Of her dying glorious Son. 

Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother

Fourth Station - Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
How sad and how painful must it have been for Mary to behold her beloved Son laden with the Cross, covered with wounds and blood, and driven through the streets by savage executioners!  What unspeakable pangs her most tender heart must have experienced!  How earnestly did she desire to die instead of Jesus, or at least with Him!
O Jesus, * O Mary, * I am the cause of the pains that pierced your hearts. * Would that my heart might experience some of your sufferings. * O Mother, * let me share in thy sufferings and those of they Son, * that I may obtain the grace of a happy death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Is there one who would not weep,  Whelmed in miseries so deep,  Christ’s dear Mother to behold? 

Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

Fifth Station - Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Simon of Cyrene was forced to help our exhausted Savior carry His Cross.  How pleased would Jesus have been, had Simon offered his services of his own accord.  However, Simon was not invited by Christ as you are.  He says: "Take up your cross and follow Me."  Nevertheless you recoil, and carry it grudgingly.
O Jesus, * whosoever does not take up his cross and follow Thee, * is not worthy of Thee. * Behold, I cheerfully join Thee on the way of the cross. * I desire to carry it with all patience until death, * that I may prove worthy of Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother’s pain untold?

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

Sixth Station - Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, Veronica presents her veil to Jesus, to wipe His disfigured face.  He imprints on it His holy countenance, and returns it to her as a recompense.  Shall Christ reward you in like manner?  Then you too must do Him a service.  But you do a service to Christ every time you perform a work of mercy towards your neighbor: for He says: "What you have done to the least of My brethren, you have done to Me."
Dearest Jesus, * what return shall I make Thee for all Thy benefits? * Behold, I consecrate myself entirely to Thy service. * My whole heart I give to Thee; * stamp on it Thy holy image, * that I may never forget Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender Child, All with bloody scourges rent.

Jesus Falls the Second Time

Seventh Station - Jesus Falls the Second Time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Overwhelmed by the weight of the Cross, Jesus falls again to the ground.  But the cruel executioners do not permit Him to rest a moment.  With thrusts and blows they urge Him onward.  With what cruelty Jesus in treated and trampled under foot!  Remember, compassionate soul, that your sins caused Jesus this painful fall.
Have mercy on me, O Jesus, * and help me never to fall into my former sins. * From this moment I will strive sincerely * never to sin again. * But Thou, O Jesus, strengthen me with Thy grace, * that I may faithfully carry out my resolution.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation Till His spirit forth He sent.

Jesus Speaks to the Women of Jerusalem

Eighth Station - Jesus Speaks to the Women of Jerusalem

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, these devoted women weep over our suffering Savior.  But He turns to them and says: "Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children.  Weep for your sins and those of your children; for they are the cause of My suffering."  You also must weep over your sins, for there is nothing more pleasing to our Lord and more useful to yourself than the tears you shed out of contrition for your sins.
O Jesus, * who shall give my eyes a torrent of tears, * that I may day and night weep over my sins? * I beseech Thee by Thy bitter and bloody tears * to move my heart, * so that tears may flow in abundance from my eyes, * and that I may weep over Thy sufferings * and over my sins until death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  O thou Mother: font of love! Touch my spirit from above, Make my heart with thine accord.

Jesus Falls the Third Time

Ninth Station - Jesus Falls the Third Time

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Exhausted at the foot of Calvary, Jesus falls for the third time to the ground.  How painfully must have been reopened all the wounds of His tender body by these repeated falls.  And how enormous must my sins be, to cause Jesus to fall so painfully.  Had not Jesus taken my sins upon Himself, they would have plunged me into the abyss of Hell.
Most merciful Jesus, * I return Thee a thousand thanks * for not permitting me to die in my sins * and fall into the abyss of Hell, * as I have deserved so often. * Enkindle in me a sincere desire to amend my life. * Let me never again fall into sin, * but grant me the grace of final perseverance.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Make me feel as thou has felt; Make my soul to glow and melt, With the love of Christ my Lord.

Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

Tenth Station - Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Arriving on Calvary, Jesus was cruelly deprived of His garments.  How painful the stripping must have been, because the garments adhered to His mangled body, so that in removing them parts of the flesh were torn away.  Jesus is deprived of His garments that He may die possessed of nothing.  How happy shall not I die after laying aside my evil habits and tendencies!
Help me, O Jesus, to amend my life. * Let it be renewed according to Thy will and desire. * However painful the correction may be to me, * I will not spare myself. * With the assistance of Thy grace, * I will refrain from all sinful pleasure and vain amusement, * that I may die happy and live forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Holy Mother, pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Savior crucified.

Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

Eleventh Station - Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Stripped of His garments, Jesus is violently thrown down on the Cross.  His hands and His feet are nailed to it in the most cruel way.  Jesus remains silent, because it so pleases His heavenly Father.  He suffers patiently, because He suffers for you.  How do you act in sufferings and trials?  How fretful and impatient, how full of complaints are you!
O Jesus, * meek and patient Lamb, * I renounce forever my impatience. * Crucify, O Lord, my flesh, * with its evil desires and vices. * Punish and afflict me in this life, * but spare me in the next. * I resign myself altogether to Thy holy will. * May it be done in all things.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Let me share with Thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torment died.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

Twelfth Station - Jesus Dies on the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Behold Jesus crucified!  Behold His wounds received for love of you!  His whole appearance betokens love.  His head is bent to kiss you.  His arms are extended to embrace you.  His heart is open to receive you.  Oh what love!  Jesus dies on the Cross, to preserve you from eternal death.
Most lovable Jesus, * who will grant that I may die for love of Thee? * I will endeavor to die to the world and its vanities * when I behold Thee on the Cross * covered with wounds and crowned with thorns. * Merciful Jesus, * take me into Thy wounded heart, * that I may despise all perishable things, * to live and die for Thee alone.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mourned for me, All the days that I may live.

Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross

Thirteenth Station - Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus did not descend from the Cross, but remained on it till His death.  When taken down, He rested on the bosom of His beloved Mother as He had so often done in life.  Persevere in your good resolutions, and do not flee from the cross.  For he who perseveres till the end shall be saved.  Consider, moreover, how pure the heart should be that receives the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar.
O Lord Jesus crucified! * I most earnestly entreat Thee: * Help me do what is right * and let me not be separated from Thy Cross, * for on it I desire to live and to die. * Create in me, O Lord, a clean heart, * that I may worthily receive Thee in Holy Communion, and that Thou mayest remain in me, * and I in Thee, * for all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us.  By the cross with thee to stay; There with thee to weep and pray Is all I ask of thee to give.

Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

Fourteenth Station - Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
The body of Jesus is laid in a stranger’s tomb.  He Who in this world had not whereon to rest His head, would have no grave of His own after death.  You whose heart is still attached to this world, despise it that you may not perish with it.
O Jesus, * Thou hast singled me out from the world, * what then shall I seek in it? * Thou hast created me for Heaven, * what then shall I desire upon earth? * Depart from me, deceitful world, with thy vanities!  Henceforth I will walk the way of the Cross * traced out for me by my Redeemer, * and journey onward to my heavenly home, * where my rest and my joy shall be forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine.


Prayer Before a Crucifix

Look down upon me, good and gently Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel; and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment. While with great love and tender pity I contemplate Thy five wounds, pondering over them within me, calling to mind the words which David, Thy prophet, said of Thee, my Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."

O Salutaris

O salutaris Hostia!
Quae coeli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia,
Da roburm, fer auxilium.Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria,
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria. Amen.

Tantum Ergo

Tantum ergo Sacramentum
Veneremur cernui,
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui;
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.Genitori Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio,
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
V. Panem de coelo praestitisti eis,
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

Prayer

Oremus. Deus qui nobis sub Sacramento mirabili passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: tribue, quaesumus, ita nos Corporis et Sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari; ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis jugiter sentiamus: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.O God, Who in this wonderful Sacrament, hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to reverence the sacred Mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that our souls may be always sensible of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Divine Praises

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus!
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart!
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy!
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception!
Blessed be her glorious Assumption!
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother!
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse!
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints!

Indulgences

The Stations of the Cross constitute a major devotion in the Catholic World. They surround the various Sacred places which were personally sanctified by the sufferings and death of our Divine Savior.Originally, this pious practice was limited to Jerusalem and its environs. Gradually it became universal as several Popes granted plenary and partial indulgences to the faithful who devoutly meditate on the Way of the Cross.
Indulgences are:
  1. A plenary indulgence every time the devotion is completed.
  2. An additional plenary indulgence if one receives Holy Communion on the day.
  3. Also an additional plenary indulgence if one performs the devotion ten times and receives Holy Communion within a month after so doing.
  4. A partial indulgence of ten years for every Station made if one was not able to finish the Stations.
The conditions for gaining them are:
  1. Walking from Station to Station when making the Way of the Cross privately; when making it publicly, it suffices for the priest with the altar boys to do so.
  2. Meditate at each Station on the sufferings of our Lord.
These two conditions are essential. No oral prayers are prescribed; yet they are profitable.