Love
overcomes, love delights,
those who love the Sacred Heart rejoice.
-
St. Bernadette Soubirous
Love overcomes, love delights,
those who love the Sacred Heart rejoice.
- St. Bernadette Soubirous
Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr
Lectionary: 354
Reading 1
On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead,
I, Tobit, went into my courtyard
to sleep next to the courtyard wall.
My face was uncovered because of the heat.
I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me,
till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts.
I went to see some doctors for a cure
but the more they anointed my eyes with various salves,
the worse the cataracts became,
until I could see no more.
For four years I was deprived of eyesight, and
all my kinsmen were grieved at my condition.
Ahiqar, however, took care of me for two years,
until he left for Elymais.
At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire
at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.
When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her.
Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus,
she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners.
They paid her the full salary
and also gave her a young goat for the table.
On entering my house the goat began to bleat.
I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from?
Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners;
we have no right to eat stolen food!”
She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.”
Yet I would not believe her,
and told her to give it back to its owners.
I became very angry with her over this.
So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your virtuous acts?
See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 7c) The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
An evil report he shall not fear;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear
till he looks down upon his foes.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. The heart of the just one is firm, trusting in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia Alleluia
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to his call.
Alleluia
Gospel
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.
******************************
The Holy Spirit's Gift of Courage
Have you ever been tripped or trapped by a challenging question? How did you feel? How do you think Jesus felt when it happened to him? Assuredly, he took it much more calmly than you or I do. Why is that?
In today's Gospel passage, Jesus responds to a trap laid by Pharisees and Herodians. His confidence comes from knowing that the Holy Spirit always provides the right words and the perfect wisdom.
You and I have been given the same Spirit.
What do you need from the Holy Spirit so that you can serve God's kingdom courageously? Whatever it is, God's Spirit is reliable and will make everything available to you exactly when you need it. If you don't seem to have it now, it's because you don't need it yet.
Courage comes from trust. Although it might feel like you don't have what it takes to stand up to trouble and become victorious, that's only because you're moving beyond your comfort zone. If the situation were in your comfort zone, you wouldn't need courage. Trusting God means taking bold, scary steps into the unfamiliar.
One year on Pentecost, I asked for the Holy Spirit's boldness to speak up against injustices that I sometimes witness within our beloved Church. Normally, if speaking up is politically incorrect, if it's socially unacceptable, if it strays from the expectations of what "should" happen in church, if it's outside the comfort zone of the rules of "normalcy", or if it could result in a reprimand or disapproval, my heart would race, my knees would tremble, and I would keep my mouth shut.
God readily gives us opportunities for doing what we hope to learn. Shortly after asking for boldness, I found myself facing the need to ask a priest to delay Mass. An accident on the street was keeping many people from reaching church on time. I made the decision to let my concern for these people outweigh my fears.
This might not seem like a big deal to some of my readers, but for many Americans, starting Mass on time and ending on time (or ending early) is a big deal. And for many Catholic Americans, disagreeing with a priest is an even bigger deal.
The priest replied that Mass must always start on time. To my surprise, I looked him in the eye and, with my voice full of compassion, said: "For the sake of the people who want to be here on time but cannot, please wait just a few minutes!" The priest's reply? "Okay."
That happened a long time ago. Since then, I have experienced that same Spirit-filled confidence every time God wants me to stand up to injustices, which always involves stepping away from what's normal and expected and socially "proper". However, to receive this gift from the Holy Spirit, I have to be willing to feel uncomfortable.
What's the gift you're asking for? He's ready to provide it! Now ask the Holy Spirit to show you what comfort zone you must step away from so that you can experience this gift.
Today's Prayer
Lord Jesus, may Your image be always printed in my
heart so that I may give You what is fair: All my life. Amen.
------------------------------
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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