Thursday - June 17, 2021
"Everything
in man should halt in awe...Let all the world quake and let Heaven exult when
Christ the Son of the living God is
there on
the altar."
~~St.
Francis of Assisi
"Everything in man should halt in awe...Let all the world quake and let Heaven exult when Christ the Son of the living God is
there on the altar."
~~St. Francis of Assisi
June 17, 2021
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 368
Reading 1
Brothers and sisters:
If only you would put up with a little foolishness from me!
Please put up with me.
For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God,
since I betrothed you to one husband
to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning,
your thoughts may be corrupted
from a sincere and pure commitment to Christ.
For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached,
or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received
or a different gospel from the one you accepted,
you put up with it well enough.
For I think that I am not in any way inferior to these “superapostles.”
Even if I am untrained in speaking, I am not so in knowledge;
in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
Did I make a mistake when I humbled myself so that you might be exalted,
because I preached the Gospel of God to you without charge?
I plundered other churches by accepting from them
in order to minister to you.
And when I was with you and in need, I did not burden anyone,
for the brothers who came from Macedonia
supplied my needs.
So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.
By the truth of Christ in me,
this boast of mine shall not be silenced
in the regions of Achaia.
And why? Because I do not love you?
God knows I do!
Responsorial Psalm
R. (7a) Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. Your works, O Lord, are justice and truth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
“This is how you are to pray:
‘Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’
“If you forgive others their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”
******************************
Sincere and Complete Devotion
Oh how easy it is to fall prey to what St. Paul talks about in our first reading! Our thoughts do get corrupted by "other gospels" and we do fall away from our sincere and complete devotion to Christ -- at least in some areas of our lives.
I've been entrusted with the task of bringing the scriptures to life in your daily circumstances, and it's only through the Holy Spirit that I'm able to do this. If I fail to rely on God as my source, I lose the sincerity of my ministry, and my devotion to Christ decreases. So, daily in prayer and in Mass, I ask the Lord to keep me faithful to the calling he has given to me for your sake.
Like Paul, I share the Gospel free of charge, trusting that those whom I inspire to experience a deeper and truer relationship with our Lord will also want to spread the Good News -- and the Rosary Family. You can help the people you care about by recommending our FB page and our reflections to them.
Because the staff and I are devoted to Christ, and because we care about every person who comes to us seeking spiritual healing and growth, God has hopes for this ministry that are bigger than what I can dream of, plans that seem impossible, plans that require the prayers and support of all who understand the difference we can make in this world.
How seriously do you devote yourself to God's hopes and dreams, making use of the opportunities he provides for your spiritual growth and for your calling? Do you go to adult faith enrichment events that are held in your church or diocese? Do you pick up and read the pamphlets and devotional booklets that you see in the church racks?
Do you act upon the messages in these Reflections and other resources, especially those that challenge you to make difficult changes in your life? Are you reading that book that God inspired you to buy?
Do you pray each line and each word of the Our Father prayer sincerely? Jesus gives us this prayer in today's Gospel, as a summary of the best, the most comprehensive way to pray. But we "say" instead of "pray" this prayer, rushing mindlessly through the words, because we're so familiar with it.
Today's Prayer
Beloved Father: Help me to know You and to recognize how I need You. May Your Spirit move me to always forgive, as You have forgiven me and still forgive my sins every day. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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