Sept. 6

September 6, 2014:  Saturday, 22nd week, Ordinary Time

Apparel

• 'Question mark' pin:  Questions:  Who confers distinction upon you?  What do you have that you haven't received?  Why are you boasting about it?  (1st reading)  Why are you doing what's unlawful?  Didn't you read how David shared the priests' bread?  (gospel)

• 'Angel' pin:  We've become a spectacle to angels and men. (1st reading)

• 'Hand' tie pin:  We toil, working with our hands. (1st reading)

• 'Grain' pin:  Jesus was going through a field of grain, and his disciples were picking and eating the heads. (gospel)

Music

• We give thee but thine own/ How:  lyrics+ (1st reading)

• I will praise your name/ Haas (longer)

• Their sound is gone out, from Messiah/ Handel (psalm)

• Sing praises to the Lord and bless his name/ Moore (psalm)

Pope Francis

• Friday homily:  Paul said that before Jesus came, people were prisoners under the Law.  The Law wasn't bad:  it cared for them, but they were prisoners, awaiting the faith and liberty of Christ brought.  Jesus took the Doctors of the Law to task for not caring for the people but making them slaves to many little laws. / The Lord wants us not to be afraid of changing things according to the law of the Gospel, letting go of decadent structures and take up the new wineskins of the Gospel.  The Gospel is new, brings joy, and can only be lived fully by a joyful and renewed heart.  God, give us the grace to keep the new commandment of love, and the joy of the freedom the Good News brings.

Read

• 1 Cor 4:6b-15  Why boast if you've received everything that's yours?  God has exhibited us as last of all, like people sentenced to death; we're a spectacle, fools on Christ’s account, weak, held in disrepute, go hungry and thirsty, are poorly clad and roughly treated, wander homeless, and toil.  When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently.  We've become like rubbish, scum.  I became your father in Christ through the Gospel.

• Ps 145:17-21  "The Lord is near to all who call upon him."  He hears their cry and saves them.  The Lord is just in his ways and holy in his works.

• Lk 6:1-5  Jesus' disciples were picking and eating heads of grain on a sabbath.  Pharisees / Jesus:  “Why are you doing what's unlawful?” / “Recall when David's men were hungry he shared the priests' bread of offering from the house of God?  The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”

Reflections

• Creighton:  Paul let the air out of inflated people to fill them with something better, but sometimes we need to be squeezed.  God can't fill us when pride, riches, power, or pleasure do but can when we recognize we're empty.  But God is near even when we miss him.  Can I cry for help?

• One Bread One Body:  "I can't get no satisfaction"

• Passionist:  As people vent anger on the town crier who bears bad news, the Corinthians heartlessly judged Paul and Apollos.  Paul told them to humble themselves for the community's sake, warning them to pay attention to the message, not messengers.  If humbly keep our eyes on the Word, we'll have greater unity and joy.  Don't get puffed up like the Pharisees did.  We belong to the Church because Christ loved and called us.

• DailyScripture.net:  Why keep the Sabbath holy?  To remember the goodness of God and his works, rest, and be refreshed.  Jesus defended his disciples:  the Pharisees ritual zeal blinded them to charity's demands, but human need takes precedence.  How do I observe the Sabbath?

• Sacred Space

Preview tomorrowDress your life!