Wednesday - September 26, 2018
What you do with those who beg from you is what God will do with His beggar, you! You are filled and you are empty. Fill your empty neighbor from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled from God's fullness.
-- St. Augustine
September 26, 2018
Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 451
Reading 1PRV 30:5-9
Every word of God is tested;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Add nothing to his words,
lest he reprove you, and you will be exposed as a deceiver.
Two things I ask of you,
deny them not to me before I die:
Put falsehood and lying far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches;
provide me only with the food I need;
Lest, being full, I deny you,
saying, "Who is the LORD?"
Or, being in want, I steal,
and profane the name of my God.
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Add nothing to his words,
lest he reprove you, and you will be exposed as a deceiver.
Two things I ask of you,
deny them not to me before I die:
Put falsehood and lying far from me,
give me neither poverty nor riches;
provide me only with the food I need;
Lest, being full, I deny you,
saying, "Who is the LORD?"
Or, being in want, I steal,
and profane the name of my God.
Responsorial PsalmPS 119:29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163
R. (105) Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
From every evil way I withhold my feet,
that I may keep your words.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Through your precepts I gain discernment;
therefore I hate every false way.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Falsehood I hate and abhor;
your law I love.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
From every evil way I withhold my feet,
that I may keep your words.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Through your precepts I gain discernment;
therefore I hate every false way.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Falsehood I hate and abhor;
your law I love.
R. Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
AlleluiaMK 1:15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 9:1-6
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere.
******************************
WORDS ARE SACRED
Words are sacred. Why are we so careless with them?
We assume that ill-spoken words lose their damaging power after they're forgotten, but in fact all words ripple through time with either blessings or destruction.
Harsh words spoken to us as a child still control us today unless we submit them to a healing process. Words of guidance and instruction that were based on misconceptions or unhealthiness still manipulate how we think and live until we replace them with the truth. And words of praise continue to encourage us long afterward, although we cannot remember who said it or why.
How do you feel when someone pulls you aside and says, "May I have a word with you?" The more frightening that is, the more healing you need from the destructive words of your past.
Words are powerful. They cannot be deleted once heard. To be like Jesus, we must develop self-control to check every thought, mood, and word before they come out of our mouths. We're so used to letting our tongues flap freely that we think this is impossible, but it's not - not if we slow down and pray constantly to allow the Holy Spirit to inspire our words.
If we can't do that, then we should take a vow of silence for a day or two and get used to the idea that our tongue can be controlled!
Words are sacred. We should always say what we mean and mean what we say and make sure it all glorifies God or honors his kingdom or at least shows respect for his ways. Any other way of speaking is sacrilegious.
This is the lesson that today's first reading is teaching us. When we speak as if we know the truth while breaking the commands of God's Word, we destroy the sanctity of our words; we are liars. Every unholy word denies God. They prove a lack of love for him. They withhold his love from the people who hear us.
God's Word is a lamp for our feet, as it says in the responsorial Psalm. May our words always reflect that light so that, with Jesus, we help guide others on the path of righteousness. Sacred words are powerful enough to conquer demons and cure diseases, as evidenced in the Gospel reading. May we learn to harness the power of words.
Amen! (In a word, "so be it!")
Today's Prayer
My Lord, help me by strengthening my trust in You. Heal me and deliver me from everything that stops me from working the wonders You long to work through me. Amen.
God Bless You.....
Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
No comments:
Post a Comment