She
is the eldest daughter of the Great King. If you enjoy her favor, she will
introduce you to the Monarch of the Universe. No one has so great an interest
with Him than Mary, who was the occasion of His coming down from Heaven to
become man for the redemtion of mankind.
-St.
John the Almoner
She is the eldest daughter of the Great King. If you enjoy her favor, she will introduce you to the Monarch of the Universe. No one has so great an interest with Him than Mary, who was the occasion of His coming down from Heaven to become man for the redemtion of mankind.
-St. John the Almoner
May 20, 2021
Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Lectionary: 300
Reading 1 Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Wishing to determine the truth
about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him
and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.
Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.
Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,
so he called out before the Sanhedrin,
“My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;
I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”
When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
or angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
A great uproar occurred,
and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party
stood up and sharply argued,
“We find nothing wrong with this man.
Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
The dispute was so serious that the commander,
afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,
ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst
and take him into the compound.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage.
For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem,
so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
Responsorial Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11
R. (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Gospel Acclamation Jn 17:21
Alleluia Alleluia
May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.
Alleluia
Gospel Jn 17:20-26
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
“I pray not only for these,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”
*****************************************
What is Required to Answer the Prayer of Jesus?
Just a
few years ago, I read today's Gospel and said, "Wow Jesus, your prayer is
taking a long time to get answered! The number of break-away denominations just
keeps multiplying." And seeing divisive behavior within the Catholic
Church, I've said, "Wow Jesus, your prayer isn't even being answered
here!"
Or maybe I was just looking for the answer in the wrong places.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning", and that unity "subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose" (see para. 820). It's a gift. It's not something that we make happen -- it's already ours. "But the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her."
The unity we have in the Catholic Church comes from accepting that Christ is the head and that he chose to lead us through Saint Peter and all the popes and bishops who came from his line of ordination -- despite their imperfections and sins. Our unity comes from the Church Magisterium's protection of and explanations of the teachings of Christ, and if we choose to remain in unity with Christ by learning from the Magisterium, Jesus protects us from false teachings and worldly compromises.
The moral relativism that's rampant in our modern society has produced a new type of Catholic: "Protestant Catholics" who protest against Church teachings by making up their own minds about what's sinful and what's not. Instead of going to Confession (for example) and by downplaying the importance of participating in the Eucharistic Liturgy with a church community, they practice a faith of "I only go directly to God."
A direct connection to Christ is only part of a good faith life. No one is so pure and holy and wise that we don't need help knowing and understanding the teachings of Christ -- not even the greatest of Saints. The Church Magisterium protects and provides a solid foundation for a good personal relationship with God. But how many of us actually take time to learn from the writings of the Church?
"Protestant Catholics" choose for themselves what to believe. If it's contrary to what a priest or a bishop or even a pope asserts from the Magisterium, there is no changing of the mind based on respect for their authority. There is no thought of "Oh, I'm wrong, I need to repent."
We all need to humbly study whatever teachings we dislike. We disagree with Church teachings when we don't understand their value. The most common example of this is the teaching against artificial birth control. Many Catholics disregard it, because they don't bother to research it enough to discover how it enhances their ability to love and be loved.
Can Christ's prayer be answered today? Yes! We are the answer to his prayer whenever we humbly love one another. The Church Magisterium explains how to do this in every situation of modern life.
Today's Prayer
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for opening my heart and revealing Yourself to me. Thank You for preparing a special place for me in the eternal love, beauty, and holiness of the Father together with You and my brothers and sisters. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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