July 13, 2016

July 13

July 13, 2016:  Wednesday, 15th week, Ordinary Time



  • ♥ tie bar:  "It is in his heart to destroy" (1st reading); "All the upright of heart shall follow the just judgment" (psalm)
  • 'Hand' tie pin:  "My hand has seized nations' riches" (1st reading); Father 'handed' everything over to Jesus (gospel)
  • 'Owl' tie pin:  "By my wisdom I've done it" (1st reading); "You fools, when will you be wise?" (psalm); God has revealed to the childlike things the wise don't see (gospel)
  • Orange suspenders: "Instead of the Lord's glory there will be kindling as of fire." (1st reading)
  • 'Eyeball' pin:  "Shall he who formed the eye not see?" (psalm)
  • 'Children' tie:  Father, you've revealed hidden things to the childlike (gospel)
  • Green shirt:  Ordinary Time season
Listen

Pope Francis Amoris Laetitia capsule
Mutual self-giving in the sacrament of matrimony is grounded in the grace of baptism, the person's covenant with Christ in the Church.  Engaged people promise each other self-giving, faithfulness, and openness to new life, recognizing these as God's gifts and part of marriage, and they take their commitment seriously.  With faith and grace, they can keep their commitments.   In marriage Christ himself encounters the spouses, dwells with them, gives them strength to take up their crosses, follow him, rise after they fall, forgive, and bear each other's burdens.   Marriage is a sign of Christ's love for his Church and makes that love present in the spouses' communion.  By becoming one, they embody his espousal of our human nature.  In the joys of love and family life, Christ gives them a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb.  The analogy between the married couple and Christ/Church, though imperfect, inspires us to pray that the Lord pour out his love on every married couple.
Sexual union, lovingly experienced and sanctified by the sacrament, is a path of growth in the couple's life of grace.  Its meaning and value is expressed in their vows, in which they accepted and offered themselves to each other, to share their lives completely.  The grace of the sacrament will strengthen their married life and other relationships.  Marriage flows from the incarnation and the paschal mystery, where God showed his love for us by becoming one with us.  Neither spouse will face challenges alone; both are called to respond to God’s gift with commitment, creativity, perseverance, and effort, invoking the help of the Holy Spirit who consecrated their union.

The ministers of the sacrament of marriage are the man and the woman who marry; by expressing their consent, they become one flesh through their consent and bodily union.  Their baptism enabled them to join in marriage as the Lord’s ministers and respond to God’s call.  When two non-Christian spouses are baptized, they don't need to renew their vows; their baptism makes their union sacramental.   The couple's consent establishes the sacramental bond.  But we need to reflect further on God’s action in the marriage rite; note the important blessing couples receive in Eastern Churches  as a sign of the gift of the Spirit. (III:73-75)
Read
  • Is 10:5-7, 13b-16  Woe to Assyria!  My hand has seized nations' riches.  The Lord will send leanness among his fat ones.
  • Ps 94:5-10, 14-15  "The Lord will not abandon his people."  Shall God not see as they're trampled down?  Judgment shall be with justice, and the upright shall follow it.
  • Mt 11:25-27  “I give praise to you, Father, for you've revealed to the childlike things hidden from the learned.  You handed everything over to me.  No one knows you except the Son and anyone the Son wishes.”
Reflect
    • Creighton:  Today’s gospel contains the central themes of relationship and humility.  The praise Jesus offers God is in contrast to the previous verses that describe the devastation of lack of relationship with God.  The praise he offers comes from his deep relationship with the Father.  He models and invites us to such a relationship.  God’s arms outstretch to those who humbly approach him with love....
    • One Bread, One Body:  "Bathed in the light":  Children's minds absorb and remember so much. We can be like them in our receptivity to divine revelation and sensitivity to God's presence.  We'll be receptive if  like children we're aware of our dependence on God, and so constantly ask for help.  We'll be thankful for his graces and blessings because we know we need them and they're from him.  And we'll realize others need the Lord too and so share with them.
      • St. Henry
    • Passionist:  Today's gospel has the "Father and I are one" sound, though in the context of last week's tragedies, unity seems unattainable.  The word Jesus used for 'childlike,' 'hepioi' ('infants') connotes a dependence of one needy and inexperienced.  God wants to reveal all things to all such people.  Perhaps what hides the message of love and unity that Jesus lived out is our own blindness.  If I can't acknowledge my dependence on God, I'm blind.  “Learn your theories as well as you can, but put them aside when you touch the miracle of a living soul” (CG Jung).  We're made in God's image and likeness, one body, united.  We must strip away our prejudices and embrace Jesus’ message of love and mercy, of the cross, even when inconvenient.  “The cross demonstrates the depth of destruction caused by unloving behavior, and the even greater depth of God’s response. Jesus compassionately bestows his Father’s forgiveness....” (Good Goats)  May we live as the image of God....
    • DailyScripture.net:  "Heavenly things revealed to infants":   Jesus' prayer tells us God is Father and Lord of earth and heaven, Creator of all, and it shows his loving care and goodness toward all.  It also warns us that pride can keep us from knowing and loving God.  Pride, a cold heart, or a stubborn will can shut out God and his kingdom.  Pride (inordinate self-love at others' expense, exaggerated assessment of one's learning or importance) makes us cold and indifferent towards God and closes us to God's truth and wisdom.  Jesus contrasts pride with simplicity and humility.  The simple of heart see without pretense and acknowledge their dependence and trust in God; they seek the greatest good, God himself.  Humility inclines us towards grace and truth; it's the only soil in which God's grace can take root.  Jesus claims to be the perfect revelation of God.  Jesus makes it possible for us to know God personally; in him we see God's perfect love....
    • Universalis:  St. Henry, emperor, supported Church reform, encouraged missionary activity, founded monasteries.
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