Saturday - August 22, 2020
Silence is the beginning of
purifying the soul.
~~St. Basil the Great
Silence is the beginning of
purifying the soul.
~~St. Basil the Great
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
| First reading | Ezekiel 43:1-7 |
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The vision of the coming of the glory of the Lord to the Temple
The angel took me to the gate, the one facing east. I saw the glory of the God of Israel approaching from the east. A sound came with it, like the sound of the ocean, and the earth shone with his glory. This vision was like the one I had seen when I had come for the destruction of the city, and like the one I had seen on the bank of the river Chebar. Then I prostrated myself.
The glory of the Lord arrived at the Temple by the east gate. The spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; I saw the glory of the Lord fill the Temple. And I heard someone speaking to me from the Temple while the man stood beside me. The voice said, ‘Son of man, this is the dais of my throne, the step on which I rest my feet. I shall live here among the sons of Israel for ever.’
| Responsorial Psalm |
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| Psalm 84(85):9-14(Sat20) |
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace,
peace for his people and his friends.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
| Gospel Acclamation | Ps118:36,29 |
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Bend my heart to your will, O Lord,
and teach me your law.
Alleluia!
| Or: | Mt23:9,10 |
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Alleluia, alleluia!
You have only one Father,
and he is in heaven;
you have only one Teacher,
the Christ.
Alleluia!
| Gospel | Matthew 23:1-12 |
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They do not practise what they preach
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they! Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’
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DO WHAT I SAY, NOT WHAT
I DO
Opening Prayer: Lord, here I am. Thank you for this moment, for the gifts of life and your love. Help me to be open to hear what you have to say, or to simply enjoy being in your presence. I believe in you, trust you, and love you—increase my faith, hope, and love.
Encountering Christ:
1. Carrying Burdens: It can be very easy to demand things of others–our children, spouse, coworkers, or acquaintances–while making little excuses for ourselves in the exact same context. We’re being pharisaical when we do so.“They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on others’ shoulders, but will not lift a finger to carry them.” In fact, it is so easy that looking at what bothers us in others is a great way to see what virtues we need to grow in.
2. All in the Family: “You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.” Christ makes it clear that as soon as we start putting on airs, thinking that we are somehow above others, we’re fooling ourselves. We are allowing our pride or vanity to color our perceptions. Growth in humility doesn’t come through mental acrobatics, by forcing ourselves to think differently, but through real, daily contact with the Lord. When we spend time every day to put ourselves in his presence, and let him show us just how much we depend on him, the way we look at the world and others totally change.
3. Whoever Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted: Humility is like exercise. No one likes it (at first), but everyone needs more of it. The best way to become humble is to ask God for the grace, and then start trying. How? Padre Pio offers some great advice for practicing humility: “We must humble ourselves on seeing how little self-control we have and how much we love comfort and rest. Always keep Jesus before your gaze; He did not come to rest nor to be comfortable either in spiritual or temporal matters, but to fight, to mortify himself and to die.“
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for this moment of grace. I am sorry for my weak faith, hope, and love—support me by your grace today. I know that you love me more than I can imagine. Thank you for your love, and never let be separated from you
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will, when tempted to judge someone, take a moment to think of something positive about them
For Further Reflection:
“These are the few ways we can practice humility:
To speak as little as possible of one's self.
To mind one's own business.
Not to want to manage other people's affairs.
To avoid curiosity.
To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
To pass over the mistakes of others.
To accept insults and injuries.
To accept being slighted, forgotten, and disliked.
To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
Never to stand on one's dignity.
To choose always the hardest.”
― Mother Teresa, The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living
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God Bless You.....
The Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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