June 8 Monday: Mt
5:1-12: 1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when
he sat down his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught
them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they shall see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when men revile you
and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my
account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. USCCB
video reflections:
9th Week, Saturday, Jun 6th
2 Timothy
4:1-8 / Mark 12:38-44
I have finished
the race: I await God’s reward.
In his book Light from the Ancient Past, Jack Finegan cites a
4,000-year-old Egyptian writing. Called the “Prayer of Ani,” it is addressed to
the 42 gods who must decide Ani’s fate after death. Excerpts
from Ani’s prayer read: “I have not stolen. . . .I have not played
the hypocrite. . . .I have not told falsehoods. . . .I gave bread to the
hungry, water to the thirsty, clothed the naked. . . .Enter no complaint
against me.”
9th Week, Friday, Jun 5th
2 Timothy 3:10-17 / Mark 12:35-37
You know the Scriptures: They are inspired by God.
How
did God inspire the Scriptures? Some suggest that God dictated to the biblical
writers, as a boss dictates to a private secretary. Others suggest the biblical
writers were inspired religiously, as songwriters are inspired musically. Most
people hold a middle position. They hold that God enlightened the writers in
such a way that they wrote all and only what God wanted them to write. God is
therefore the primary author; the biblical writers are secondary authors. The
important thing, however, is not how
the biblical writers were inspired, but that
they were.
9th Week, Thursday, Jun 4th
2 Timothy 2:8-15 / Mark 12:28-34
They can chain me: But
they can’t chain God’s Word.
Marjorie
Lawrence was one of the great operatic stars
of our time. At the height of her career, she was struck down with polio. It
left her a helpless invalid, unable to walk or to stand. Up to this point in
her life, neither
she nor her husband was religious. Nevertheless, they began to read the Bible
together for strength. For the first time in their lives, they discovered the
power of God’s Word. Marjorie said, “There were parts of the Scriptures that
seemed to have been written just for me.”
9th Week, Wednesday, Jun 3rd
2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12 / Mark 12:18-27
Keep God’s gift
alive:
The gift came when I laid hands on you.
Timothy
was dedicated to God’s service when church leaders laid hands on him. This ancient
gesture is still used in the liturgy of the Church today. It is a powerful
visual symbol that something is being communicated from the person laying on
the hands to the person upon whom the hands are laid.
Holy Trinity - A: Liturgical Prayers
Greetings The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of the Father
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. Experience God with the Heart
At this celebration of the Blessed Trinity, perhaps we ask ourselves how we can understand this one God with three faces, the Trinity. Our human mind is too small to grasp this mystery. But the Bible, already in the Old Testament, shows us that wisdom is not mere knowledge but the art of life, understanding with the heart as we reflect on our experience. And that experience tells us: God is love, and comes to us in many ways, with fatherly and motherly concern and care, with forgiveness and life brought us by Jesus, with courage and joy, hope and light poured out on us by the Holy Spirit. May we grow in this experience in this eucharist.
the love of the Father
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
A. Experience God with the Heart
At this celebration of the Blessed Trinity, perhaps we ask ourselves how we can understand this one God with three faces, the Trinity. Our human mind is too small to grasp this mystery. But the Bible, already in the Old Testament, shows us that wisdom is not mere knowledge but the art of life, understanding with the heart as we reflect on our experience. And that experience tells us: God is love, and comes to us in many ways, with fatherly and motherly concern and care, with forgiveness and life brought us by Jesus, with courage and joy, hope and light poured out on us by the Holy Spirit. May we grow in this experience in this eucharist.
9th Week, Tuesday, Jun 2nd
2 Peter 3:11-15, 17-18 / Mark 12:13-17
We await a new creation: God’s justice will reside in
the new creation.
In
their joint statement on Justice, the
bishops of the world said something that jarred many Christians from
complacency. They said it’s not enough to preach the Gospel. We must also work
for justice.
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