Wednesday - November 15, 2017
"Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven."
-- St Ephraem
"Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven."
-- St Ephraem
TODAY'S READINGS
November 15, 2017
Wednesday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 493
Reading 1WIS 6:1-11
Hear, O kings, and understand;
learn, you magistrates of the earth's expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
learn, you magistrates of the earth's expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.
Responsorial PsalmPS 82:3-4, 6-7
R. (8a) Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: "You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince."
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Defend the lowly and the fatherless;
render justice to the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the lowly and the poor;
from the hand of the wicked deliver them.
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
I said: "You are gods,
all of you sons of the Most High;
yet like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince."
R. Rise up, O God, bring judgment to the earth.
Alleluia1 THES 5:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."
******************************
Taking Time at the Feet of Jesus
There might have been good reasons why nine out of ten healed lepers never returned to Jesus to thank him in today's Gospel reading. Perhaps they were too busy telling their families and friends about the miracle they'd received. Perhaps they were busy trying to convince their families and friends that they really had been healed and were now safe to be around. Perhaps they were preoccupied getting jobs to support themselves, since they could no longer live in the leper colony.
All valid reasons.
What was different about the Samaritan leper, the one who did return? Why did he leave everything behind to show his appreciation?
When we experience a miracle -- any kind of healing, answered prayer, or a gift we've been wanting from God -- what do we do? We get busy enjoying and using the gift. That does glorify God, for a gift is meaningless when we sit it on a shelf collecting dust.
For example, if we receive the job we've been praying for and then do our very best in that job, we are glorifying God. If God brings us into a new relationship, we glorify God by building that relationship into the best it can be. If we are emotionally or physically healed and then use our new freedom to do a work or a ministry that helps others, we are glorifying God.
But that is not the same as returning to Jesus with a heart full of humble gratefulness. It is not prostrating ourselves at the feet of Jesus.
What the Samaritan ex-leper did was to take time out to pray, praise and worship. It was not only his body that was healed. His faith in Jesus saved his soul, because he understood the importance of spending time alone with Jesus in gratefulness.
God is doing a miracle in your life today. No matter how bad things look or how rough your circumstances are right now, he is doing many good deeds for you. However, in order to notice this, you have to stop what you're doing and take time to praise and worship him. Thank him for being so good to you. Thank him for what he's doing that you can't yet see.
And stay there with your face at his feet long enough to discover what is good, what miracles are taking place, what gifts God is giving to you.
Oh, and then stay there a little longer -- long enough to thank him. He will say to you, "Stand up and go; your faith has been your salvation."
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God Bless You.....
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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