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Readings & Prayer – The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them; they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!

September 3, 2007

When: Monday, September 03, 2007 10:00 AM-11:00 AM.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dear Lord God, I look to You for focus, energy, strengthen and courage to do the things that I must do. Yet in today’s readings I reminded to not allow myself to be anxious about these things, for You are with me always. Through Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior my being must first focus on feeling His Heart, to make time in each moment to feel Him within me, to see with His Eyes and to feel with His Heart. For in this way His presence He will carry me to do the things I can and to let tomorrow take care of the things I an unable to get to, without worry or being anxious. For in this way I can maintain the feeling of His presence within me and in doing so the mind set to first seek Your Kingdom in everything I do. O Lord that You would work these things into my being and in doing so help me maintain a ripe spirit reflecting Your presence within me and producing fruit of the spirit. These things I ask and pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Before Communion you hear about Jesus Christ and you know Him; you are told of His Cross, of His suffering; doubtless you are affected, are even touched with compassion. But let these same truths be presented to you after Communion. Oh, how much more deeply your soul is moved! It cannot hear enough; it understands much more perfectly. Before Communion, you contemplate Jesus outside you; now you contemplate Him within you, with His own eyes! It is the mystery of Emmaus re-enacted. When Jesus taught the two disciples along the way, explaining the Scriptures to them, their faith still wavered, though they felt inwardly some mysterious emotion. But participating in the Fraction of the bread, immediately their eyes were opened, and their hearts were like to burst with joy. The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them; they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!"
— St. Peter Eymard
4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up — for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground — 7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.


Psalm 90:2-5, 12-14, 16
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!" 4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning: 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.

Matthew 6:31-34
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
 

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Readings & Prayer – The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them; they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!

September 3, 2007

When: Monday, September 03, 2007 10:00 AM-11:00 AM.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dear Lord God, I look to You for focus, energy, strengthen and courage to do the things that I must do. Yet in today’s readings I reminded to not allow myself to be anxious about these things, for You are with me always. Through Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior my being must first focus on feeling His Heart, to make time in each moment to feel Him within me, to see with His Eyes and to feel with His Heart. For in this way His presence He will carry me to do the things I can and to let tomorrow take care of the things I an unable to get to, without worry or being anxious. For in this way I can maintain the feeling of His presence within me and in doing so the mind set to first seek Your Kingdom in everything I do. O Lord that You would work these things into my being and in doing so help me maintain a ripe spirit reflecting Your presence within me and producing fruit of the spirit. These things I ask and pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Before Communion you hear about Jesus Christ and you know Him; you are told of His Cross, of His suffering; doubtless you are affected, are even touched with compassion. But let these same truths be presented to you after Communion. Oh, how much more deeply your soul is moved! It cannot hear enough; it understands much more perfectly. Before Communion, you contemplate Jesus outside you; now you contemplate Him within you, with His own eyes! It is the mystery of Emmaus re-enacted. When Jesus taught the two disciples along the way, explaining the Scriptures to them, their faith still wavered, though they felt inwardly some mysterious emotion. But participating in the Fraction of the bread, immediately their eyes were opened, and their hearts were like to burst with joy. The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them; they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!"
— St. Peter Eymard
4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up — for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground — 7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!" 4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning: 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.
 

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Prayer & Readings – But we exhort you,.. to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;

September 2, 2007

When: Sunday, September 02, 2007 11:30 AM-12:30 PM.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dear Lord God, my being thirst and hungers for You and Your Word; caught up in the busyness of life under the sun, I seek to find peace and rest in Your presence. To prepare and ready myself for the week to come, whiling making sure to give thanks, praise and glory for all that You have done. Hear my cry to feel You presence in every breath that I take in, to meditate on all, all I believe, all I know, all I love, all I hope; with each breath, a stream on consciousness focused on You and Your will for me in that moment. And then as I exhale I release what You have given into me to fulfill Your with and mt purpose with others. Over and over, I breath in Your presence into my being, feeling You with me in the moment, then releasing what You have given to others. O Lord to be a worthy disciple, to reflect Your presence, this is my prayer. Hear me, let me feel Your love, mercy and grace; help me to be ripe and produce fruit for Your kingdom. This I ask and pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Everyone knows the great merit and dignity attached to that holy ministry in which young boys, especially the poor, receive instruction for the purpose of attaining eternal life. This ministry is directed to the well-being of body and soul; at the same time, that it shapes behavior it also fosters devotion and Christian doctrine.
— Saint Joseph Calasanz
9 But concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have any one write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedo’nia. But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9 before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
14 "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’
Bible Study: [20-23] Although the first two servants have received and doubled large sums, their faithful trading is regarded by the master as fidelity in small matters only, compared with the great responsibilities now to be given to them. The latter are unspecified. Share your master’s joy: probably the joy of the banquet of the kingdom; cf Matthew 8:11. [26-28] Wicked, lazy servant: this man’s inactivity is not negligible but seriously culpable. As punishment, he loses the gift he had received, that is now given to the first servant, whose possessions are already great.

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Prayer & Readings – But we exhort you,.. to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;

September 2, 2007

When: Sunday, September 02, 2007 11:30 AM-12:30 PM.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dear Lord God, my being thirst and hungers for You and Your Word; caught up in the busyness of life under the sun, I seek to find peace and rest in Your presence. To prepare and ready myself for the week to come, whiling making sure to give thanks, praise and glory for all that You have done. Hear my cry to feel You presence in every breath that I take in, to meditate on all, all I believe, all I know, all I love, all I hope; with each breath, a stream on consciousness focused on You and Your will for me in that moment. And then as I exhale I release what You have given into me to fulfill Your with and mt purpose with others. Over and over, I breath in Your presence into my being, feeling You with me in the moment, then releasing what You have given to others. O Lord to be a worthy disciple, to reflect Your presence, this is my prayer. Hear me, let me feel Your love, mercy and grace; help me to be ripe and produce fruit for Your kingdom. This I ask and pray in Jesus name, Amen.
Everyone knows the great merit and dignity attached to that holy ministry in which young boys, especially the poor, receive instruction for the purpose of attaining eternal life. This ministry is directed to the well-being of body and soul; at the same time, that it shapes behavior it also fosters devotion and Christian doctrine.
— Saint Joseph Calasanz
9 But concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have any one write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedo’nia. But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;


Psalm 98:1, 7-9
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9 before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Matthew 25:14-30
14 "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’
Bible Study: [20-23] Although the first two servants have received and doubled large sums, their faithful trading is regarded by the master as fidelity in small matters only, compared with the great responsibilities now to be given to them. The latter are unspecified. Share your master’s joy: probably the joy of the banquet of the kingdom; cf Matthew 8:11. [26-28] Wicked, lazy servant: this man’s inactivity is not negligible but seriously culpable. As punishment, he loses the gift he had received, that is now given to the first servant, whose possessions are already great.

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Readings (Sunday’s) & Prayer – The affliction of the proud has no healing,.. The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable,..

September 2, 2007

When: Saturday, September 01, 2007 7:30 AM-8:30 AM.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 
Dear Lord God, Your blessings, mercy and grace do not go un-noticed; with each moment, in each situation I can see Your hand. As I look back I realize there is a difference between seeing and feeling; while seeing Your hand is a blessing worthy of praise, I seek to feel Your hand in each moment. For to me seeing is more of an feeling I get when I look back at the moment and feeling is seeing You with me in the moment, in the now of my time under the sun. Feeling is present, feeling is interactive, feeling is what I seek. It is my quest to bring You into each moment, with each breath; breathing You into my being and with each breath a conscious meditation of You as my source of source, Your unconditional love for me, Your will and Your purpose for me, creating my heaven on earth under the sun, now, always in the now with You. O Lord guide my mind and heart as I seek to feel closer to You while under the sun through opening myself to interpretations and writings on Jesus and The Church. Once again the daily readings address what is on my mind and bringing clarity and focus to my thoughts through Your inspired words; for in the meekness and humility that I seek, I also know there must be a state of courage prepared, ready and able to do and be all that You will, knowing all along that I will fail, I will fall short and even though I have many self made issues and problems to resolve and get myself out of, but I will pray for strengthen, energy and focus so that in resolving these things I stay in the now and out of the past and completely trusting in You for tomorrow. For it is in Jesus and in His name that I believe, seek and pray for these things, Amen.
O Catholic Church, true mother of Christians, you are right in teaching that God should be adored with an entirely chaste and pure heart. You unite all brothers and sisters to one another in a bond of religion that is stronger and closer than ties of blood. – St. Augustine
17 My son, perform your tasks in meekness; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts. 18 The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. 20 For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by the humble. 28 The affliction of the proud has no healing, for a plant of wickedness has taken root in him. 29 The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable, and an attentive ear is the wise man’s desire.
Bible Study: [17-27] Humility gives a true estimate of self (Sirach 3:17-19). Through it a man performs duty, avoids what is beyond his understanding and strength (Sirach 3:20-22). Pride, however, begets false greatness, misjudgment, stubborness, sorrow, affliction and perdition (Sirach 3:23-27). [19] An alternate or additional line would read: "For though many have been great in the course of time, it is to the humble he reveals his secrets." Cf Matthew 11:25-26; 1 Cor 1:26-29. [29-4:10] Mercy and kindness toward those in misfortune atone for sin and endear a man to God and to his fellow men.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds; his name is the LORD, exult before him! 5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6 God gives the desolate a home to dwell in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness, [Selah] 10 thy flock found a dwelling in it; in thy goodness, O God, thou didst provide for the needy. 11 The Lord gives the command; great is the host of those who bore the tidings:
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers entreat that no further messages be spoken to them. 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.
1 One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. 7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
Bible Study: [7-14] The banquet scene found only in Luke provides the opportunity for these teachings of Jesus on humility and presents a setting to display Luke’s interest in Jesus’ attitude toward the rich and the poor (see the notes on Luke 4:18; 6:20-26; 12:13-34). [15-24] The parable of the great dinner is a further illustration of the rejection by Israel, God’s chosen people, of Jesus’ invitation to share in the banquet in the kingdom and the extension of the invitation to other Jews whose identification as the poor, crippled, blind, and lame (Luke 14:21) classifies them among those who recognize their need for salvation, and to Gentiles (Luke 14:23). A similar parable is found in Matthew 22:1-10.

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Readings (Sunday’s) & Prayer – The affliction of the proud has no healing,.. The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable,..

September 2, 2007

When: Saturday, September 01, 2007 7:30 AM-8:30 AM.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 
Dear Lord God, Your blessings, mercy and grace do not go un-noticed; with each moment, in each situation I can see Your hand. As I look back I realize there is a difference between seeing and feeling; while seeing Your hand is a blessing worthy of praise, I seek to feel Your hand in each moment. For to me seeing is more of an feeling I get when I look back at the moment and feeling is seeing You with me in the moment, in the now of my time under the sun. Feeling is present, feeling is interactive, feeling is what I seek. It is my quest to bring You into each moment, with each breath; breathing You into my being and with each breath a conscious meditation of You as my source of source, Your unconditional love for me, Your will and Your purpose for me, creating my heaven on earth under the sun, now, always in the now with You. O Lord guide my mind and heart as I seek to feel closer to You while under the sun through opening myself to interpretations and writings on Jesus and The Church. Once again the daily readings address what is on my mind and bringing clarity and focus to my thoughts through Your inspired words; for in the meekness and humility that I seek, I also know there must be a state of courage prepared, ready and able to do and be all that You will, knowing all along that I will fail, I will fall short and even though I have many self made issues and problems to resolve and get myself out of, but I will pray for strengthen, energy and focus so that in resolving these things I stay in the now and out of the past and completely trusting in You for tomorrow. For it is in Jesus and in His name that I believe, seek and pray for these things, Amen.
O Catholic Church, true mother of Christians, you are right in teaching that God should be adored with an entirely chaste and pure heart. You unite all brothers and sisters to one another in a bond of religion that is stronger and closer than ties of blood. – St. Augustine

Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
17 My son, perform your tasks in meekness; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts. 18 The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. 20 For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by the humble. 28 The affliction of the proud has no healing, for a plant of wickedness has taken root in him. 29 The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable, and an attentive ear is the wise man’s desire.
Bible Study: [17-27] Humility gives a true estimate of self (Sirach 3:17-19). Through it a man performs duty, avoids what is beyond his understanding and strength (Sirach 3:20-22). Pride, however, begets false greatness, misjudgment, stubborness, sorrow, affliction and perdition (Sirach 3:23-27). [19] An alternate or additional line would read: "For though many have been great in the course of time, it is to the humble he reveals his secrets." Cf Matthew 11:25-26; 1 Cor 1:26-29. [29-4:10] Mercy and kindness toward those in misfortune atone for sin and endear a man to God and to his fellow men.

Psalm 68:4-7, 10-11
4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds; his name is the LORD, exult before him! 5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6 God gives the desolate a home to dwell in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness, [Selah] 10 thy flock found a dwelling in it; in thy goodness, O God, thou didst provide for the needy. 11 The Lord gives the command; great is the host of those who bore the tidings:

Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers entreat that no further messages be spoken to them. 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.

Luke 14:1, 7-14
1 One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. 7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
Bible Study: [7-14] The banquet scene found only in Luke provides the opportunity for these teachings of Jesus on humility and presents a setting to display Luke’s interest in Jesus’ attitude toward the rich and the poor (see the notes on Luke 4:18; 6:20-26; 12:13-34). [15-24] The parable of the great dinner is a further illustration of the rejection by Israel, God’s chosen people, of Jesus’ invitation to share in the banquet in the kingdom and the extension of the invitation to other Jews whose identification as the poor, crippled, blind, and lame (Luke 14:21) classifies them among those who recognize their need for salvation, and to Gentiles (Luke 14:23). A similar parable is found in Matthew 22:1-10.

Posted in Bible Readings, Daily Bible Readings, Daily Prayers, Richard Angulo | Leave a Comment »

Readings (Sunday’s) & Prayer – The affliction of the proud has no healing,.. The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable,..

September 2, 2007

When: Saturday, September 08, 2007 7:30 AM-8:30 AM.

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Dear Lord God, Your blessings, mercy and grace do not go un-noticed; with each moment, in each situation I can see Your hand. As I look back I realize there is a difference between seeing and feeling; while seeing Your hand is a blessing worthy of praise, I seek to feel Your hand in each moment. For to me seeing is more of an feeling I get when I look back at the moment and feeling is seeing You with me in the moment, in the now of my time under the sun. Feeling is present, feeling is interactive, feeling is what I seek. It is my quest to bring You into each moment, with each breath; breathing You into my being and with each breath a conscious meditation of You as my source of source, Your unconditional love for me, Your will and Your purpose for me, creating my heaven on earth under the sun, now, always in the now with You. O Lord guide my mind and heart as I seek to feel closer to You while under the sun through opening myself to interpretations and writings on Jesus and The Church. Once again the daily readings address what is on my mind and bringing clarity and focus to my thoughts through Your inspired words; for in the meekness and humility that I seek, I also know there must be a state of courage prepared, ready and able to do and be all that You will, knowing all along that I will fail, I will fall short and even though I have many self made issues and problems to resolve and get myself out of, but I will pray for strengthen, energy and focus so that in resolving these things I stay in the now and out of the past and completely trusting in You for tomorrow. For it is in Jesus and in His name that I believe, seek and pray for these things, Amen.
O Catholic Church, true mother of Christians, you are right in teaching that God should be adored with an entirely chaste and pure heart. You unite all brothers and sisters to one another in a bond of religion that is stronger and closer than ties of blood. – St. Augustine
17 My son, perform your tasks in meekness; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts. 18 The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. 20 For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by the humble. 28 The affliction of the proud has no healing, for a plant of wickedness has taken root in him. 29 The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable, and an attentive ear is the wise man’s desire.
Bible Study: [17-27] Humility gives a true estimate of self (Sirach 3:17-19). Through it a man performs duty, avoids what is beyond his understanding and strength (Sirach 3:20-22). Pride, however, begets false greatness, misjudgment, stubborness, sorrow, affliction and perdition (Sirach 3:23-27). [19] An alternate or additional line would read: "For though many have been great in the course of time, it is to the humble he reveals his secrets." Cf Matthew 11:25-26; 1 Cor 1:26-29. [29-4:10] Mercy and kindness toward those in misfortune atone for sin and endear a man to God and to his fellow men.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds; his name is the LORD, exult before him! 5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. 6 God gives the desolate a home to dwell in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness, [Selah] 10 thy flock found a dwelling in it; in thy goodness, O God, thou didst provide for the needy. 11 The Lord gives the command; great is the host of those who bore the tidings:
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers entreat that no further messages be spoken to them. 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.
1 One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. 7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, `Give place to this man,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, `Friend, go up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 12 He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your kinsmen or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
Bible Study: [7-14] The banquet scene found only in Luke provides the opportunity for these teachings of Jesus on humility and presents a setting to display Luke’s interest in Jesus’ attitude toward the rich and the poor (see the notes on Luke 4:18; 6:20-26; 12:13-34). [15-24] The parable of the great dinner is a further illustration of the rejection by Israel, God’s chosen people, of Jesus’ invitation to share in the banquet in the kingdom and the extension of the invitation to other Jews whose identification as the poor, crippled, blind, and lame (Luke 14:21) classifies them among those who recognize their need for salvation, and to Gentiles (Luke 14:23). A similar parable is found in Matthew 22:1-10.

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