I therefore
command all my Brothers, those living now and those to come in the future, to
venerate the Holy Mother of God, whom we always implore to be our Protectress,
to praise her at all times, in all circumstances of life, with all the means in
their power and with the greatest devotion and submission.
-St. Francis of Assisi
I therefore command all my Brothers, those living now and those to come in the future, to venerate the Holy Mother of God, whom we always implore to be our Protectress, to praise her at all times, in all circumstances of life, with all the means in their power and with the greatest devotion and submission.
-St. Francis of Assisi
Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 348
Reading 1
To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one’s offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one’s sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Gather my faithful ones before me,
those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his justice;
for God himself is the judge.
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
God, your God, am I.
Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Offer to God praise as your sacrifice
and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia Alleluia
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
Alleluia
Gospel
Peter began to say to Jesus,
‘We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
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Giving up Everything to Follow Jesus
Whenever God asks us to give up something, he replaces it with blessings that amount to "a hundred times more," i.e., more than we can imagine. He does this when we give up money and other material possessions for the sake of serving his kingdom. He does this when we give up our ideas of how we should spend our time. He does this when we let go of the past in order to move into the future that he has planned.
Why does following Jesus mean giving up everything? Today's first reading explains it. Giving up what is sinful is a sacrifice that makes peace with God, because it pleases him. Giving up what is good because of loving concern for others is a sacrifice of praise, because we glorify God the Provider through our generosity.
We don't give up these things in order to "bribe" God to repay us. That's a selfish attitude! Generosity gives homage to the Lord because it means we truly love and care about those whom he loves. When we're "not sparing of freewill gifts" we're gladly sharing what he's given us because we know it will benefit others.
What percentage of your income do you put into church collections? This is a measurement of how well you understand the blessings of being generous. Are you withholding donations to the Church or other charities because of a fear that you'll need the money later? What could improve in the lives of others if you sacrificially ignored the self-centered message of fear?
We grow from letting go. We become more useful to God's kingdom if we dare to trust him when he asks us to give up what we seem to need -- in other words, if we choose to follow Jesus and enter into his ways of living and loving.
Today's Prayer
Thank you Lord, because no one exceeds You in generosity, and since I left loved ones and possessions to follow You, You will always surprise me. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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