July 11, 2016

Benedict

July 11, 2016:  St. Benedict, Abbot
  • 'Blood drop' pin:  "Your hands are full of blood" (1st reading)
  • 'Calf' pin, 'lamb' tie bar:  "In the blood of calves, lambs, and goats I find no pleasure." (1st reading)
  • 'Eyeball' tie pin:  "Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes" (1st reading); "I'll correct you by drawing them up before your eyes." (psalm)
  • 'No peace' button:  "I have come to bring not peace..." (gospel)
  • 'Sword' tie pin:  "...but the sword" (gospel)
  • 'Cups' tie:  "whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these little ones will be rewarded" (gospel)
  • White and green shirt:  white for St. Benedict memorial, green for Ordinary Time season
Listen

For gospel

For psalm
Pope Francis Amoris Laetitia capsule
Gaudium et Spes promoted the dignity of marriage and family (47-52), defining marriage as a community of life and love, placing love at the center…  True love between husband and wife involves mutual self-giving, including and integrating the sexual and affective dimensions. It emphasizes grounding in Christ, who is present to the spouses.  In the incarnation he assumed, purified, and fulfilled human love.  He gives spouses the capacity to live that love, consecrated and by means of grace to build up the Body of Christ and form a domestic church.  The human family manifests the mystery of the Church.
In Humanae Vitae Pope Bl. Paul VI brought out the bond between conjugal love and the generation of life and in Evangelii Nuntiandi highlighted the relationship between family and the Church.  In Gratissimam Sane and Familiaris Consortio, Pope St. John Paul II defined the family as ‘the way of the Church,’ offered a vision of the vocation to love, and proposed guidelines for pastoral care of families and for the family's role in society.  He described how spouses, in their mutual love, receive the gift of the Spirit and live their call to holiness.
In Deus Caritas Est Pope Benedict XVI said the truth of the love of man and woman is fully illuminated only in the love of the crucified Christ; "marriage based on an exclusive and definitive love becomes an icon of the relationship between God and his people.  God’s way of loving becomes the measure of human love."  In Caritas in Veritate he highlighted the importance of love as a principle of life in society. (III:67-70)
St. Benedict
      Read
      • Is 1:10-17  Lord to Sodom and Gomorrah:  I loathe your offerings and festivals.  Your hands are bloody!  Wash yourselves clean!  Cease doing evil; learn to do good.  Make justice your aim:  redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
      • Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23  "To the upright I will show the saving power of God."  Why do you profess my covenant with your mouth but cast my words behind you?  I'll correct you.  Those who offer a sacrifice of praise glorify me; I'll save all who go the right way.
      • Mt 10:34-11:1  “I have come to bring not peace but the sword, setting family members against each other.  Whoever loves family more than me or doesn't take up the cross and follow me is unworthy of me.  Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Whoever receives you receives me and the one who sent me.  Whoever gives water to a disciple will be rewarded.”  When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve, he went to teach and preach in their towns.
      Reflect

        • Creighton:  In the Isaiah reading, the Lord is telling the people he's not interested in externals that don’t represent internal conversion and concern for others.  God is not pleased with religious practices done without thinking or as a cover for behavior and thoughts contrary to the Spirit.  The psalm also says, “Why recite my statutes and profess my covenant while you hate discipline?”  We like to fool ourselves and appear holy, but God won't be fooled.  May we truly make justice our aim....
        • One Bread, One Body:  "Addicted to self?"  To be disciples of Jesus, we must deny ourselves, lose ourselves, bring ourselves to nought for him.  We're naturally addicted to ourselves, but nothing is impossible with God.  Love alone can unlock our prison of selfishness....
          St. Benedict/ Fra Angelico
        • Passionist:  Beneath their worship, the people were sinful and their society corrupt; they ignored the poor, widows, orphans, and immigrants.  People are still exploited, and we happily consume the fruit of their labor.  How do we respect migrant workers, the homeless, single parents, the elderly....?  Worship is only meaningful when coupled with justice.  In Hebrew, justice is tzadeqah, conducting relationships with fairness, generosity, and equity, being just, doing deeds of kindness, even when difficult....
        • DailyScripture.net:  "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword":  The "sword" Jesus speaks of here is a spiritual weapon that cuts through us to expose our corruption.  God's word is a sword that divides soul and spirit, discerning thoughts and intentions.  Scripture describes God's word as the "sword of the Spirit" with power to destroy spiritual strongholds that keep people bound to sin, deception, and Satan.  Jesus came to bring us freedom.  A great call inevitably causes division between those who accept and reject it.  The love of God compels us to choose who will be first in our lives.  Love for God compels us to charity for others.  Any kindness shown, any help given will be rewarded....
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