September 17, 2014

Bellarmine

September 17, 2014:  Wednesday, 24th week, Ordinary Time
St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor

  • 'Children' pin:  "When I was a child, I used to talk, think, and reason as a child" (1st reading); "These people are like children who call, ‘We played, but you didn't dance..." (gospel)
  • Tie with guitars/basses:  "Sing a new song; pluck the strings skillfully" (psalm)
  • 'Apple' (food) tie pin:  "The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘A glutton and a drunkard!’" (gospel)
  • 'Owl' tie pin:  "Wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” (gospel)
  • Brown suspenders, slacks, sandals, and socks:  wood of the Cross (Sunday and Monday readings)
Look and listen

  • More Ps 33 hymns
Pope Francis Audience

The Church is "catholic" (universal) and apostolic (missionary).  The Spirit gave the Church the gift of proclaiming the Good News to all.  The Church is everywhere, teaching the whole truth.  The Church is called to show God's tenderness and power.  The Spirit compels us to encounter others, even those distant from us, and share God’s message of love, peace, and joy.  We go forth, impelled by the life-giving Spirit, who prevents us from being self-absorbed, thinking God's blessings are for us alone.  Go forth!  It's good and courageous.  May we live in solidarity with humanity, go announce Christ and his love to all, and be a sign of the Church:  holy, catholic and apostolic.

Read
    Words of today's readings
    (Click here to animate)
  • 1 Cor 12:31-13:13  If I speak in tongues or have gifts of prophecy, knowledge, and faith, but not love, I'm nothing.  If I give away all I own, even myself, but don't have love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient, kind, not jealous, pompous, inflated, rude, self-seeking, quick-tempered.  It rejoices at the truth, bears, believes, hopes, endures, and never fails.  I used to talk, think, and reason as a child, but I grew up and put those ways aside....  Faith, hope, and love remain, but the greatest is love.
  • Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 12, 22  "Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own."  Sing to the Lord a new song.  God's word is upright, his works trustworthy.  He's kind and loves justice and right.
  • Lk 7:31-35  “The people of this generation are like children who call, ‘We played the flute for you, but you didn't dance; we sang a dirge, but you didn't weep.’  For John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, and you said, ‘He's possessed,’ but the Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘A glutton and a drunkard!’  But wisdom is vindicated...”
St. Robert Bellarmine
Reflect
    • Creighton:  Love gives meaning to prophecy, works of charity, and self-sacrifice.  Love takes us to greater things and full knowledge.  Jesus:  “No one has greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  How do I respond to God's love (see Contemplatio ad amorem)?  Do my actions flow from love?

    • One Bread One Body:  Am I growing in love?  "The way we understand love:  Jesus laid down his life for us; we must lay down our lives for each other."  Love is a commitment, not a feeling.  God is Love.  Live in love.
    • Passionist:  Love is a choice, the greatest thing, the force that turns the world, but the 'tit-for-tat love' we often see leaves no room for brokenness and unconditional acceptance.  Christ calls us to selfless, inclusive, unbounded love.  Our love isn't perfect, but we can hope and strive to follow Christ's example of outpouring.  "Human love is broken.  When our broken love all we have, we can despair, but when we live our broken love as a partial reflection of God's love, we can forgive one another and enjoy the love we have." (Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, paraphrased)
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