Saturday - August 29, 2020
Pray, and pray more. It may seem odd to say that now when you are taking examinations and working harder. But you need prayer, and not only the habitual prayer as an exercise of devotion; you also need to pray during odd moments, to pray between times, instead of allowing your mind to wander on stupidities. It does not matter if, in spite of your effort, you do not manage to concentrate and be recollected. That meditation may be of greater value than the one you made, with all ease, in the oratory.
~~St. JosemarĂa Escrivá
Pray, and pray more. It may seem odd to say that now when you are taking examinations and working harder. But you need prayer, and not only the habitual prayer as an exercise of devotion; you also need to pray during odd moments, to pray between times, instead of allowing your mind to wander on stupidities. It does not matter if, in spite of your effort, you do not manage to concentrate and be recollected. That meditation may be of greater value than the one you made, with all ease, in the oratory.
~~St. JosemarĂa Escrivá
Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist
| First reading |
|---|
| Jeremiah 1:17-19 © |
Stand up and tell them all I command you; do not be dismayed at their presence
The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying:
‘Brace yourself for action.
Stand up and tell them
all I command you.
Do not be dismayed at their presence,
or in their presence I will make you dismayed.
‘I, for my part, today will make you
into a fortified city,
a pillar of iron,
and a wall of bronze
to confront all this land:
the kings of Judah, its princes,
its priests and the country people.
They will fight against you
but shall not overcome you,
for I am with you to deliver you –
it is the Lord who speaks.’
| Responsorial Psalm |
|---|
| Psalm 70(71):1-6,15,17 © |
My lips will tell of your help.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me:
pay heed to me and save me.
My lips will tell of your help.
Be a rock where I can take refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me;
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
Free me from the hand of the wicked.
My lips will tell of your help.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth,
from my mother’s womb you have been my help.
My lips will tell of your help.
My lips will tell of your justice
and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
and I proclaim your wonders still.
My lips will tell of your help.
| Gospel Acclamation | Mt5:10 |
|---|
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy those who are persecuted
in the cause of right,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia!
| Gospel | Mark 6:17-29 © |
|---|
The beheading of John the Baptist
Herod sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
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Getting Nailed for the Truth
Do you know the surest sign that you're growing in holiness? You're being attacked because of it! You're living in a way that makes others realize that they too need to change, and this has unpleasant repercussions. Try not to take it personally. Those who cut you down are those who don't want to change. In truth, it's not you they want to destroy, but the invitation to holiness that your life exemplifies.
Such was Herod's condition when he arrested John the Baptist. Herodias felt even guiltier than Herod did about their sin, as evidenced in today's Gospel reading. She harbored such a strong grudge against John that she wanted him dead and she found the means to do it. But did it silence him forever? No, I'm sure the truth he had spoken nagged at her brain long afterward.
The truth does that when people fight it. Their battle keeps it right there in front of them and makes them do crazy things until they surrender. I suspect that hell is hearing the truth so loudly and clearly that it tortures forever those who don't want to hear it.
Has your freedom to express your faith been blocked by those who don't want to accept the truth? As they try to lock up that truth behind a wall of resistance, it's driving them crazy. You've been nailed to the cross of their prejudices or fears or woundedness (or whatever else has trapped them in their sinful or unhealthy patterns), and the nails are hurting you. The nails are immobilizing you so that you can do nothing to improve the situation.
However, those who put you on the cross will never escape their guilt until they turn to the Lord with a heart that's willing to change.
In the meantime, is there anything you can do? Or must you continue to hang on the cross?
What did Jesus do? He was nailed by those who did not want to accept the truths that he taught, but they could not silence his ability to make a difference. He asked the Father to forgive them -- "for they don't know what they're doing." He interceded for them. And then his pain ended. Soon afterward, he was raised into victory by a Father who was very pleased with him.
This is what happens to us, also, if we realize that our cross is actually the cross of Christ and that it's accomplishing a redemptive goodness. When we give to the Father those who've nailed us, interceding for them, we set ourselves free to enjoy our own personal resurrection. Their attacks cannot stop the Father from being very happy with us.
When we die to our desire to change those who've hurt us, leaving their fate up to God, we can get on with life and enjoy it.
God will not allow their sins against you to go unchallenged. He will deal with them in whatever way is best for their eternal souls, according to his infinite wisdom, in the time-frame that they give him. And he will work with whatever they give him, so that eventually the truth sinks into them with the most profound effectiveness.
Today's Prayer
Give me the grace, Lord, to be brave and bold when You lead me to give testimony to Your Word. Amen.
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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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