Dress to God's Word / "Liturgical Dress": Aug. 30

August 30, 2014: Saturday, 21st week, Ordinary Time

Readings

1 Cor 1:26-31 Few of you were wise, powerful, or of noble birth, but God chose the foolish to shame the wise, the weak to shame the strong, and the lowly and despised to reduce the proud. Because of him you're in Christ who became wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Whoever boasts, boast in the Lord.

Ps 33:12-13, 18-21 "Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own." The Lord's eyes are on those who fear and hope in him, to deliver and preserve them. We wait for, rejoice in, and trust in the Lord.

Mt 25:14-30 “A man entrusted his possessions to servants left then returned to find two doubled their money and one buried his. To the doublers: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I'll give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ To the other: ‘You wicked, lazy servant! You should at least have put my money in the bank to earn interest! Everyone who has will grow rich, but those who don't will lose the little they have. Take his money and throw him outside...’”

Music

Use what you got, from Let it Start/ Schrader (gospel)
When Jesus comes to reward his servants/Will Jesus find us watching?/ Crosby (gospel)
When I survey the wondrous cross/ Watts (1st reading, about boasting in the Lord)
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates/ Weissel tr. Winkworth; lyrics+ (1st reading) [This song is usually sung in Advent, but it does fit here. I especially like "Fling wide the portals of your heart."]
It's the small things/ Troccoli (gospel)
Exult, you just ones/ O'Connor (psalm)

Metablogging?

If you missed last weekend's guest posts, please check them out, using the links at the right:

Aug. 22: Yvonne expanded 'dress' to include our city dressed with Mary's crown, and she said how Catholics came to celebrate the Queenship of Mary.

Aug. 23-24: Sally expanded 'dress' to include how her choirs dress liturgically (including her own hair streaks :-)

Aug. 25: I like it when we can feature songs not associated with church that still fit the readings, and Manny found one in Mr. Big Stuff. He also added a video reflection I'd missed.

Thanks again to our guest posters for their preparation, becoming familiar with the Blogger platform, injecting their unique spins including providing their personal reflections and profiles!

BTW, I guess this section isn't really 'metablogging' (blogging about blogging) since I'm blogging about actual posts (vs. about the process/experience of blogging itself)...

Reflections

Fr. Brendan McGuire on last Sunday's gospel: "Who do they say that we are?" Podcast

Creighton: The Reign of God is God's loving action in history, now, and forever; it prevails when we let God’s love take over. The Lord has entrusted to us material resources, natural talents, spiritual gifts, and the Gospel; he expects us to grow them for his honor and glory, taking risks, not crippled by fear of failure but with parrhesia (boldness in the face of opposition) in pastoral life, family life, and work, creatively expressing our gratitude. What have I been given, and how am I using it? Spread God’s love in word and deed, make sacrifices, share your wealth, be kind, patient, humble, poor in spirit, merciful, truthful; make peace and serve others..

Passionist: Develop your talents and use them for good, and help others discover and use their talents. "The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own" (Disraeli) Praise, encourage, listen patiently... And don't bury others talents by negative words.

DailyScripture.net: The Master trusted his servants and rewarded the faithful ones. God entrusts us with gifts gives us freedom and means to use them well. Don't stand still like the third servant.

Universalis:
- St. Margaret Ward, martyr
- St. Anne Line (Heigham), martyr
- St. Margaret Clitherow (Middleton), mother, priest protector, martyr
- St. Margaret Ward, martyr
- Bl. Ghebre Michael ("servant of Michael"), monasticism historian/reformer, convert, martyr; see Vincentian page.
- St. Fiacre, priest, hermit; see Catholic Encyclopedia.
- St. Edmund Arrowsmith, Jesuit priest, martyr