Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 19, 2011
First Reading: 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29
Second Reading: Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22  ;
Gospel: Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

The  Solemnity of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of my favorite feast days. When I became a Catholic, an adult convert - I chose Joseph as my patron saint for many reasons. The main ones were 1) Joseph's humility. I knew I needed help in this area, as pride is one of the greatest stumbling blocks in creating a barrier toward fulling appreciating the love God has for us. Guilty as charged. 2) It was said that he was a righteous man, and this was a character trait that I hoped to develop on my own journey through life.

It is a good day to reflect on Saint Joseph - he has so much to offer.

Last year I compiled a small collection of interesting art with Saint Joseph. Here's a link in case you missed it, or if you wish to be inspired by one of the greatest saints that ever lived.

Friday First Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 18, 2011
First Reading: Ez 18: 21-28
Responsorial Psalm: 130: 1-8
Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

I regret that this year I have been especially busy and unable to find the time to write down as many reflections as I had hoped. Over the past week, lots of challenges arose related to unexpected visits to nursing homes. Today was filled with both good times and hard realities in the visits. Happy to play songs for twently people, and hard to watch a dear friend on the final lap of his life's journey. I am reminded to keep my eyes on the prize and ask for more help to be a good worker in the Lord's vineyard. 

Friday, Second Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 5, 2010
First Reading: Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a;
Responsorial Psalm: 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21 ;
Gospel: Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

First Reading:  Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a

Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons,
for he was the child of his old age;
and he had made him a long tunic.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons,
they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.
One day, when his brothers had gone
to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem,
Israel said to Joseph,
“Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem.
Get ready; I will send you to them.”
So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan.
They noticed him from a distance,
and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him.
They said to one another: “Here comes that master dreamer!
Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here;
we could say that a wild beast devoured him.
We shall then see what comes of his dreams.”
When Reuben heard this,
he tried to save him from their hands, saying,
“We must not take his life.
Instead of shedding blood,” he continued,
“just throw him into that cistern there in the desert;
but do not kill him outright.”
His purpose was to rescue him from their hands
and return him to his father.
So when Joseph came up to them,
they stripped him of the long tunic he had on;
then they took him and threw him into the cistern,
which was empty and dry.
They then sat down to their meal.
Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead,
their camels laden with gum, balm and resin
to be taken down to Egypt.
Judah said to his brothers:
“What is to be gained by killing our brother and concealing his blood?
Rather, let us sell him to these Ishmaelites,
instead of doing away with him ourselves.
After all, he is our brother, our own flesh.”
His brothers agreed.
They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver.

Responsorial Psalm  105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R.         Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
When the LORD called down a famine on the land
and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
R.        Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
They had weighed him down with fetters,
and he was bound with chains,
Till his prediction came to pass
and the word of the LORD proved him true.
R.        Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions.
R.        Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Gospel   Mt 21:33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

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Commentary: First off - please pray for Mary K and her mom, baby Bridget, Michelle, Claire, Jenifer, Bob, Louise, Florence, Charlotte, Pat, my family, my friends, for all the kids, and parents, ... everybody. oh yeah... please, for me too. Thanks.

I always loved the story about Joseph in the first reading. Poor guy - his jealous brothers are at first planning to just kill him outright. Then Reuben, with good intentions suggests they just throw him down a well. Joseph gets captured and sold as a slave, sent to Egypt and things look really really bleak. But that is not how the story ends for Joseph, who is indeed a good man. The story is just a few chapters long - in the end, he forgives his brothers, and thanks God from the deepest regions of his soul - because Joseph credits God with making all these things good. And indeed - the way it worked out, the whole family was saved from the famine. And yes, in case you wondered - this is how the Jewish people ended up in Egypt in the first place. There was a famine, and they went there to get food, from a wise man who was helping pharaoh by interpreting a dream Pharaoh had. After seven good years, this wise man stored the grain for the people, because he knew it would be followed by 7 years of famine. That man, was Joseph - the man his brothers had tossed down the well and left for dead.

The Gospel follows along the same story line. Jesus knows He will be killed. And unlike Joseph, Jesus really does get killed in perhaps the most painful horrific way possible. But that is not how the story ends. Be encouraged when times look really bad - and be a good person still. These stories are here to remind you - have faith. You do not know how the story ends in your own life, unless you have faith that Jesus will be true to His word. If you have that faith, He will come and save you, He has prepared a place for you in Heaven, and it will be more glorious than you can even imagine.

Like last year - I will add some songs that popped through my head - some of them new, some of them old. For me, songs are very much like prayers and the church has a saying that when you sing, you pray twice. Today I added two songs that I included from last year, (which were acoustic renditions played on an afternoon in March 2009). Sometime in the last half of 2009, I re-recorded these songs and tried to do a little production on them as well. No, do NOT worry - I am not quitting my day job hahaha. But I hope you enjoy them all the same. The first is called - Sara's Prayer and the second is called Benedictus. The Benedictus comes from the Gospel of St Luke, chapter one. (go read it... it will make it much more interesting). The second song was written as a prayer... that has been around  as long as men yearned for God. Sara's prayer is how that sentiment came out of my own desire to ask God to increase my faith. I dedicated it to dear friend named Sara has has always been a friend, and has given me great joy for many years, in short she is like a daughter to me. Thanks to this wild new publishing world - you can meet sweet lil doe Sara, and watch her take a leap of faith. What a fun world we live in. Be thankful.

Wednesday, Second Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 3, 2010
First Reading: Jer 18:18-20;
Responsorial Psalm: 31:5-6, 14, 15-16 ;
Gospel: Mt 20:17-28 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Jer 18:18-20
The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said,
“Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word.”
Heed me, O LORD,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,
to turn away your wrath from them.

Responsorial Psalm  31:5-6, 14, 15-16
R.          Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
R.        Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
R.        Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R.        Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

Gospel   Mt 20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day.”
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
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.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Commentary: In today's first reading, we first hear the thoughts of the people of Jerusalem, who decide to listen closely to Jeremiah - not to hear what he has to say, but to use his words, and parse them in a way to put Jeremiah to death. And yes, he was eventually killed just like many other prophets of the old testament. That passage is followed by Jeremiah's plea to God - not to seek God's protection from their evil intentions, but it is a lowly plea - merely asking God to remember, that he prayed for these people, asking God to take away his wrath. I wonder how those people might have felt - if they knew what Jeremiah had in his heart?

Does this kind of thing happen today? Of course it does. All the time - each and every day, thousands of times a day. Perhaps it might not end in killing - but friendships end, cruel words are spoken, people can be mean by "getting even", and love is withdrawn in the heat of anger - all too often because we fail to know the heart of the person saying words that might be hard to hear. Or we can cut off all conversation and not want to learn at all. Just go away.

For good people, this kind of situation happens all the time. And harder still, the sweeter and more gentle the person is - the deeper these wounds will go. That is just the way it is. It takes great discipline to suffer through all that is asked in these situations. To not retort and slap back. To be patient and try to make amends. All too often, people today just give up on people and move on in lieu of trying to help. Or worse... give up on trying to even understand. How sad - when in many cases, the problem is not what the person may have said - it is how we heard it. Try this for Lent - be patient and listen. Open the door instead of slamming it shut. So many years in my younger days as a man - I was in that spot - it was natural and easy to get angry, I grew impatient at the slightest offense and very often...  just blew people off. As I grew older, and mellowed - I learned most people are just plain wonderful. If they have an issue or seem disturbed - it is usually because they are going through a great deal of suffering. Thankfully, I also have learned it is much more fruitful to listen and try and help instead of running away. Oh don't get me wrong - I have an infinite road ahead of me to get where I need to... but I am thankful to God - because He has taken me a long way from where I used to be. And - He will be with me on the long road to go as well. But learning that in so many cases -when people are short, difficult and acting weird - it is usually because they have something going on in their lives I know nothing about. If I just took the time to be a patient friend, I could have won a precious friend. Live and learn.

I very much enjoyed the video homily by the priest today. If you missed it, here's a link to go watch it. (March 3 on the calendar)

Tuesday, Second Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: March 2, 2010
First Reading: Is 1:10, 16-20;
Responsorial Psalm: 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23 ;
Gospel: Mt 23:1-12 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Is 1:10, 16-20
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

Responsorial Psalm  50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
R.      To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R.        To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R.        To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R.        To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Gospel   Mt 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

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Commentary: Yesterday I had the opportunity to accompany a priest
to a local hospital where he was asked to perform the rite of Annointing of the Sick, which back in the day, was called Extreme Unction. It is such a lovely rite and is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. The rite begins with the priest absolving the sick person of all their sins - all of them committed in the course of their lifetime. And a sweet reminder, of how deeply they are loved by Jesus. Soon the time will come, when Jesus will come for them and for the sick person to make the final surrender into God's loving hands. No matter how tough or faithful one might be, I sincerely doubt anyone is ever really ready for this moment, except for maybe the saints. It is not an easy trial - the final suffering and death. That said, I am convinced it is much easier if we spend time in prayer and seek to grow close to God all the days of our life. When we do that - we are less afraid, and better still - we might even be anticipating this cross-over to the heavenly kingdom. And also - find ourselves with a much lighter load to carry while we live. We can actually live the full life God is offering to all of us, and allow Him to make our joy complete. If you are honest with yourself - you know, we are the ones holding back.

So take advantage of the Lenten Season - and make amends. Humble yourself and grow closer in  God's loving relationship. He will help you get there - just ask.

Saturday, First Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: February 26, 2010
First Reading: Dt 26:16-19;
Responsorial Psalm: 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 ;
Gospel: Mt 5:43-48 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

First Reading:  Dt 26:16-19
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”

Responsorial Psalm:  119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
R.       Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
R.        Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
Oh, that I might be firm in the ways
of keeping your statutes!
R.        Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
I will give you thanks with an upright heart,
when I have learned your just ordinances.
I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
R.        Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

Gospel:   Mt 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies,
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers and sisters only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Friday, First Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: February 26, 2010
First Reading: Ez 18:21-28;
Responsorial Psalm: 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8 ;

Gospel: Mt 5:20-26 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Ez 18:21-28
Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live? And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.

Responsorial Psalm
130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8
R.   If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
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.        If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
that you may be revered.
R.        If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
I trust in the LORD;
my soul trusts in his word.
My soul waits for the LORD
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
Let Israel wait for the LORD.
R.        If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?
For with the LORD is kindness
and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
from all their iniquities.
R.        If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Gospel
Mt 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

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Commentary: Today's readings appear to offer a common theme that weaves its way through from the first reading to the Gospel. At least for me it does, but what do I know? The theme I feel, is don't judge others - or let the transgressions of others allow you to lose your focus on how God might wish you to serve Him.  I think nothing is more important than loving God, and also to love your neighbor. How can you love your neighbor, if you are judging them.  There's no time to love. (if you liked the last 2 sentences, thank Mother Teresa). Had to use them on myself.

Thursday, First Week of Lent

Daily Readings for Lent
Today's readings: February 25, 2010
First Reading: Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25;
Responsonrial Psalm: 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8 ;

Gospel: Mt 7:7-12 ;

And here's an audio file and a video of a priest offering reflections.

 First Reading:  Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God. “And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness.”

Responsorial Psalm: 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6 ;
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R.        Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.

 Gospel: Mt 7:7-12 ;
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

Tuesday, First Week of Lent

Daily Readings
Today's readings: February 23, 2010
First Reading: Is 55:10-11;
Responsonrial Psalm: 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 ;

Gospel: Mt 6:7-15;

And here's an audio file; and a video of a priest offering reflections.

First Reading:  Is 55:10-11
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm
34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
R.  From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R.        From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R.        From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R.        From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R.        From all their distress God rescues the just.

Gospel
Mt 6:7-15
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Wednesday - Third Week of Lent

Today's readings: March 18, 2009
Reading One: Dt 4:1, 5-9;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20 ;
Gospel: Mt 5:17-19; go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page) And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)

In today's world, sometimes it feels like there are about a hundred million versions of the Gospel. But they all begin with, The Gospel according to me. haha. I remember on my way through Georgia last week, I saw a bumper sticker that read - Jesus is a liberal. But somehow, I do not think he would be very charitable toward abortions or stem cell research. But what do I know... in the Gospel according to me. The good news for Catholics, is that the church goes through a lot of effort to try and come up with cohesive policy decisions on current matters of controversy, like abortion, stem cell research, pre-marital sex - you know, all the topics that people have a hard time talking about, even among friends. If you think about that, we the people - can't even discuss a lot of these topics with any semblance of civil discourse. As I reflect upon that, it says a lot about our society, and also reminds me of Monday's Gospel reading, where Jesus said some things that made the people want to throw him over the cliff to his death. They wanted to kill this wonderful, gentle man - because he got them upset, and said something truthful using their own sacred writings. Human nature is quite extraordinary. If you examine the readings from the last few days, from Sunday through Wednesday - you will notice a pattern, and see how the readings tie together. It explains a lot about why people get so angry, and how we twist Jesus' words and manipulate them to our own liking. There is a lot to consider over the past few days. Hard words to listen to, and harder still if you point the words toward yourself, and see where Jesus is shining a bright light on where you could improve yourself.