Sept 30 Monday (St. Jerome, priest, Doctor of the Church) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-jerome/ :
Lk 9:46-50: 46 And an argument arose among them as to which of them
was the greatest. 47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he
took a child and put him by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives
this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who
sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” 49 John
answered, “Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade
him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not
forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you.” USCCB video
reflections: https://youtu.be/y5Q04_fK5p0?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DD-uFtIWwJSoiHMmBgqLd9d
The context: Today’s Gospel describes Jesus’
criterion for greatness and his advice to be accepting of others who do good in
ways different from ours. He exhorts the spiritual leaders as well as all
believers in responsible positions in his Church to be like children, humble,
trusting and innocent.
Child-like qualities: Children are basically innocent and
honest. They are naturally humble, because they depend on their parents for
everything. They trust and obey their parents, because they know their parents
love them. Hence, Jesus advises his disciples to forget their selfish
ambitions and to spend their lives serving others in all humility, with trusting
Faith in a loving and providing God. Then they will be great in the
Kingdom of Heaven.
Next, Jesus tells his disciples that there should not be any
rivalry, jealousy or suspicion among them, as long as all hold the same
belief. In today’s passage, the Apostles were complaining about someone
who used the name of Jesus, their Master, for casting out demons. They
were upset at seeing someone who did not belong to their group using Jesus’
name to cast out demons. Since the present-day divisions in Christianity
are substantive, rising from differences over the basic tenets of faith,
today’s Gospel passage does not apply to them. But there is no reason for
any Christian denomination to be jealous of another denomination because of the
greater good they do for people for the glory of God. True love seeks the
highest good of our neighbor, while envy results from selfishness and pride,
and it is contrary to true Christian love.
Life Messages: 1) We need to practice humility
in thoughts, words and actions. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble
of heart.” 2) We should not seek recognition and recompense for the
service we do for Christ and the Church as parents, teachers, pastors etc. 3)
Trusting Faith resulting from true humility is essential for all corporal and
spiritual works of mercy. 4) Let us not try to prevent anyone
from doing good to others because of envy or jealousy. Envy and jealousy
are sinful because they lead us to sadness over what should make us
rejoice. True love always seeks the highest good of the neighbor. (Fr.
Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/19
Oct 1 Tuesday (St. Therese of Child Jesus, Virgin,
Doctor of the Church): https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-theresa-of-the-child-jesus/ Mt
18:1-5: 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put
him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and
become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever
humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me. USCCB video
reflections: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6nJMcT2wRE&list=PLpTzvCOJa7DD9TgXScDzmUNxVbbSBuOSi&index=
Marie Therese Martin was born on Jan 2, 1873 as
the youngest of nine children of a silk merchant, Louis Martin, and his wife,
Zelie Guerin. Therese lost her mother at 4 and four of her siblings in their
early childhood. She was the “little flower” of her father. One of her older
sisters joined the Visitation convent and three others became Carmelite nuns.
Therese joined the Carmelite convent at Lisieux at 15 with special permission
from Pope Leo XIII. She died of tuberculosis when she was 24 years and 9 months
old on September 30, 1897. Pope Pius XI declared her a saint on May 17, 1925,
just 28 years after her death. Pope St. John Paul II declared her a “Doctor of
the Church” in 1997.
Sources of her life history: 1) Autobiography of a Little
Flower (The Story of a Soul); 2) 300 letters; 3) 8- One act Plays; 4) 50
poems.
Secret of her Little Way and short-cut to Heaven: Do
ordinary things in an extraordinary way out of love for God, with 100%
dedication and child-like trust, being ever ready to undertake any type of
sacrifice. Convert suffering into redemptive suffering and use it for the
apostolate.
Conditions: 1) Be child-like and innocent
with trusting Faith in a loving Heavenly Father. 2) Do
everything with 100% dedication as being done for our caring and forgiving God,
our Father. 3) Be ready to undertake sacrifice for others.
St. Therese offered all her sacrifices a) in reparation for the sins of others
and for her own sins b) for missionaries c) for the conversion of sinners.
Message: Let us follow the shortcut of
Little Flower by becoming child-like in our relationship with God by doing His
will with 100% sincerity, commitment and love. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/19
Oct 2 Wednesday (The Holy Guardian Angels) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/feasaint-of-the-guardian-angels/ :
Mt 18:1-5, 10: 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child,
he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you
turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; 10 “See that
you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven
their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven 1 angels
always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. USCCB video
reflections: https://youtu.be/crEm71j1DNo?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DD9TgXScDzmUNxVbbSBuOSi (Oct
2, 2018)
The Guardian Angel: Although the doctrine and
traditional belief in the Guardian Angel is not a dogma of Faith, it is based
on the Bible. Each person’s Guardian Angel is an expression of God’s enduring
love and providential care extended to him or her every day. Today’s
prayers in the breviary and in the Roman Missal mention the three-fold function
of the angels: a) they praise and worship God, b) they serve as His messengers,
c) they watch over human beings.
Historical note: Devotion to the Guardian Angels began to
develop in the monasteries. St. Benedict gave it an additional impetus and St.
Bernard of Clairvaux (12th century reformer), spread the
devotion in its present form. The feast of the Guardian Angels originated in
the 1500s. It was placed on the official liturgical calendar of the Church by
Pope Paul V in 1607. “By God’s providence angels have been entrusted with
the office of guarding the human race and of accompanying every human being so
as to preserve him from any serious dangers […]. Our Heavenly Father has placed
over each of us an angel under whose protection and vigilance we are” (“St.
Pius V Catechism”, IV, 9, 4).
Biblical teaching: Today’s Gospel (Mt 16:10), clearly
states that even children have their Guardian Angels: “See that you do
not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in Heaven their
angels always behold the face of my Father Who is in Heaven.” Psalm
91:1 teaches: “For He has given His angels charge over you, to keep you in
all your ways.”
Life messages: 1) The conviction that we are
protected by an angel is an encouragement against our baseless fears and
unnecessary anxieties. 2) The thought that a messenger from God is constantly
watching our thoughts, words and deeds is an inspiration for us to lead holy
lives and to do good for others and avoid evil. 3) We need to be grateful to
God every day, thanking Him for His loving care given us through His angel.
(Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/19
Oct 3 Thursday: Lk 10:1-12: — 1
After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him,
two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. 2 And
he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray
therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go
your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4..9
USCCB video reflections: https://youtu.be/LgYpW9jprqQ?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DD9TgXScDzmUNxVbbSBuOSi (Oct
3, 2019)
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the
sending forth of another group of paired disciples by Jesus to prepare towns
and villages for his own arrival there. Sent out with power and authority from
Jesus, they exercised their preaching and healing mission according to the
action plan given by Jesus. Jesus sent out seventy disciples, just as God had
Moses commission 70 elders to be prophets in Israel. (Nm 11:24-25).
Their ministry anticipates the Church’s mission to the nations.
Jesus’ instructions and travel tips. Elisha gave similar
instructions when he sent his servant on a pressing mission (2 Kgs 4:29).
By his instructions, it is clear that Jesus meant his disciples to take no
supplies for the road. They were simply to trust that God, the provider,
would open the hearts of believers to take care of their needs. Jesus’
instructions also suggest that his disciples should not be like the acquisitive
priests of the day, who were interested only in gaining riches. They were
to be walking examples of God’s love and providence. The Jews supported their
rabbis and judged doing so a privilege as well as an obligation, for
hospitality was an important religious tradition in Palestine. The Apostles and
disciples were to choose temporary accommodation in a reputable household, they
were to bless the residents with God’s peace and they were to be satisfied with
the food and accommodation they received, without searching for better.
Life messages: 1) We have a witnessing mission: Each
Christian is called, not only to be a disciple, but also to be an apostle. As
apostles, we are sent out to evangelize the world by sharing with others, not
just words, or ideas, or doctrines, but our experiences of God and His Son. We
are to make Jesus “visible” through our transparent Christian lives, showing
the love, mercy and concern of Jesus to the people around us. 2) We also
have a liberating mission: There are many demons which can control the lives of
people around us making them helpless slaves —the demon of nicotine, the demon
of alcohol, the demon of gambling, the demons of pornography and promiscuous
sex, the demons of materialism and consumerism. We need the help of Jesus to be
liberated from these demons ourselves and to help Him liberate others from
these bondages. 3) We have a supporting mission: According to Catholic
tradition and Canon Law (Canon 222 #1), Christians are obliged to contribute to
the Church from their earnings to help to support the clergy, to provide for
the necessities of liturgical worship and to equip the Church to minister to
the needy (CCC #2043, 2122). (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/19
Oct 4 Friday (Day’s reading: Lk 10: 13-16) (St.
Francis of Assisi): Assisi)https://youtu.be/8QM3vPYHzl4?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DD9TgXScDzmUNxVbbSBuOSi
St. Francis of Assisi is the best known and the most loved
thirteenth century Italian saint. He was born in Assisi, Italy, the son of a
rich merchant. As a carefree young man, he loved singing, dancing and partying.
He joined the military and returned ill, as a changed man. He marke
d his conversion by hugging and kissing a leper. While at
prayer in the Church of St. Damiano, he heard the message: “Francis go and
repair my Church because it is falling down.” Francis took the command
literally and got money by selling goods from his father’s warehouse. His
father was furious and publicly disowned and disinherited Francis. Francis
promptly gave back to his father everything except his underclothes and started
living as a free man, wearing sackcloth and begging for food. Possessing
nothing, he started preaching the pure Gospel of Jesus. Strangely enough, a few
youngsters were attracted to Francis’ way of life and joined him.
Pope Innocent III had a vision of Francis supporting the
leaning Church of St. Johns Lateran in Rome. Consequently, he approved the
Religious Order begun by Francis, namely the Friars Minor [Lesser Brothers]
which practiced Charity as a fourth vow along with Poverty, Chastity and
Obedience. Soon, the Franciscan Order became very popular, attracting large
number of committed youngsters. The friars traveled throughout central Italy
and beyond, preaching and invitation to their listeners to turn from the world
to Christ. In his life and preaching, Francis emphasized simplicity and
poverty, relying on God’s providence rather than worldly goods. The
brothers worked, or begged, for what they needed to live, and any surplus was
given to the poor. Francis wrote a more detailed Rule, which was further
revised by the new leaders of the Franciscans. He gave up leadership of
the Order and went to the mountains to live in secluded prayer. There he
received the Stigmata, the wounds of Christ. Francis became partially blind and
ill during his last years. He died at Portiuncula on October 4th,
1226 at the age of 44.
Francis called for simplicity of life, poverty, and humility
before God. In all his actions, Francis sought to follow, fully and literally,
the way of life demonstrated by Christ in the Gospels. Francis loved God’s
gifts to us of nature, animals, and all natural forces, praising god for these
“brothers and sisters.” One of Francis’s most famous sermons is one he gave to
a flock of birds during one of his journeys. “From that day on, he solicitously
admonished the birds, all animals and reptiles, and even creatures that have no
feeling, to praise and love their Creator.” Francis is well known for
the “Canticle of Brother Sun.” Written late in the saint’s life, when
blindness had limited his sight of the outside world, the canticle shows that
his imagination was alive with love for God in His creation. Life
messages: 1) Let us learn to practice the spirit of detachment of St.
Francis that we may be liberated from our sinful attachments, addictions and
evil habits. In poverty one makes oneself available for the Kingdom. Once the
goods are no longer one’s own, they become available for all. Goods are made to
be shared. 2) Let us preach the Good News of Jesus’ love, mercy and forgiveness
as St. Francis did, by imbuing the true spirit of the Gospel, loving all God’s
creation and leading transparent Christian lives radiating Jesus all around us.
(Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/19
Oct 5 Saturday (Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos,
Priest, U.S.A.), St. Faustina http://seelos.org/lifeBiography.html : Lk
10:17-24: 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the
demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan
fall like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread
upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing
shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are
subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21 In that
same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and
understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy
gracious will. 22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one
knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and
any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 23 Then turning to the
disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! 24
For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you
see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” UGCC
video reflections: https://youtu.be/2ZWDTiyReOA?list=PLpTzvCOJa7DD9TgXScDzmUNxVbbSBuOSi
The context: Today’s Gospel describes how
the seventy disciples, sent by Jesus to prepare people in the towns and
villages He was going to visit, returned joyfully to Jesus who rejoiced aloud
at the success of their preaching and healing mission. This passage of the
Gospel is usually called our Lord’s “hymn of joy.” Jesus rejoiced
to see how humble people understood and accepted the word of God.
The teaching: Jesus declares that the right reason for
rejoicing must be the hope of reaching Heaven by doing the will of God at all
times and that that is more important than working miracles. He also gives his
disciples a warning against taking pride in the success of their mission. Jesus
repeats his claim that he is God, equal in everything with his Father and that
only he can reveal God his Father to others. Then he congratulates his
disciples at their good fortune in living to see, hear and experience the
Messiah in their midst, a privilege which generations before them would have
rejoiced to receive.
Life messages: 1) We have received the same
mission given to the seventy disciples, a mission to preach Jesus as Lord and
Savior. 2) We may have success as well as failure when we bear witness to
Christ and his teachings through our lives. But we, too, have reason to rejoice
even when our attempts at evangelization are not visibly successful because we
are assured of a great reward in Heaven. We rejoice also because we have the
presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we can hear him through the Gospels,
and we can experience him through prayers and Sacraments. (Fr. Tony) (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/19
