GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY : Friday - June 10, 2022

 

Friday - June 10, 2022

"Perfect love of God means the complete union 

of our will with God's."

 

--St. Albert the Great

June 10, 2022

FRIDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Lectionary: 363

 

Reading 1                                                     1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-16

 

At the mountain of God, Horeb,

Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.

But the word of the LORD came to him,

“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;

the LORD will be passing by.”

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains

and crushing rocks before the LORD—

but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake—

but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake there was fire—

but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.

When he heard this,

Elijah hid his face in his cloak

and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”

He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD,

the God of hosts.

But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant,

torn down your altars,

and put your prophets to the sword.

I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.”

The LORD said to him,

“Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.

When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram.

Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,

and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah,

as prophet to succeed you.”

 

Responsorial Psalm                                              27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14

 

R. (8b) I long to see your face, O Lord.

 

Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;

have pity on me, and answer me.

Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.

R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

Your presence, O LORD, I seek.

Hide not your face from me;

do not in anger repel your servant.

You are my helper: cast me not off.

R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD with courage;

be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

 

Alleluia                                                                      Phil 2:15d, 16a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,

as you hold on to the word of life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel                                                                       Mt 5:27-32

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.

But I say to you,

everyone who looks at a woman with lust

has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If your right eye causes you to sin,

tear it out and throw it away.

It is better for you to lose one of your members

than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.

And if your right hand causes you to sin,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to lose one of your members

than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

 

“It was also said,

Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.

But I say to you,

whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)

causes her to commit adultery,

and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

 

********************************************

Avoidance of Sin

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.”  Matthew 5:29-30a

 

Does Jesus really mean this?  Literally? 

 

We can be certain that this language, which is shocking, is not a literal command but is rather a symbolic statement commanding us to avoid sin with great zeal, and to avoid all that leads us to sin.  The eye can be understood as a window to our soul where our thoughts and desires reside.  The hand can be seen as a symbol of our actions.  Thus, we must eliminate every thought, affection, desire and action that leads us to sin.

 

The true key to understanding this passage is to allow ourselves to be affected by the powerful language that Jesus uses.  He does not hesitate to speak in a shocking way so as to reveal to us the calling we have to confront with much zeal that which leads to sin in our lives.  “Pluck it out…cut it off,” He says.  In other words, eliminate your sin and all that leads you to sin in a definitive way.  The eye and the hand are not sinful in and of themselves; rather, in this symbolic language they are spoken of as those things that lead to sin.  Therefore, if certain thoughts or certain actions lead you to sin, these are the areas to target and to eliminate.

 

Regarding our thoughts, sometimes we can allow ourselves to dwell excessively upon this or that.  As a result, these thoughts can lead us to sin.  The key is to “pluck out” that initial thought that produces the bad fruit.

 

Regarding our actions, we can at times put ourselves in situations that tempt us and lead to sin.  These occasions of sin must be cut off from our lives.

 

Reflect, today, upon this very direct and powerful language of our Lord.  Let the forcefulness of His words be an impetus for change and avoidance of all sin.

 

Today's Prayer

 

My demanding Lord, I am sorry for my sin and I ask for Your mercy and forgiveness.  Please help me to avoid all that leads me to sin and to surrender all my thoughts and actions to You every day.  Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.

 

 

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.”  Matthew 5:29-30a

 

Does Jesus really mean this?  Literally? 

 

We can be certain that this language, which is shocking, is not a literal command but is rather a symbolic statement commanding us to avoid sin with great zeal, and to avoid all that leads us to sin.  The eye can be understood as a window to our soul where our thoughts and desires reside.  The hand can be seen as a symbol of our actions.  Thus, we must eliminate every thought, affection, desire and action that leads us to sin.

 

The true key to understanding this passage is to allow ourselves to be affected by the powerful language that Jesus uses.  He does not hesitate to speak in a shocking way so as to reveal to us the calling we have to confront with much zeal that which leads to sin in our lives.  “Pluck it out…cut it off,” He says.  In other words, eliminate your sin and all that leads you to sin in a definitive way.  The eye and the hand are not sinful in and of themselves; rather, in this symbolic language they are spoken of as those things that lead to sin.  Therefore, if certain thoughts or certain actions lead you to sin, these are the areas to target and to eliminate.

 

Regarding our thoughts, sometimes we can allow ourselves to dwell excessively upon this or that.  As a result, these thoughts can lead us to sin.  The key is to “pluck out” that initial thought that produces the bad fruit.

 

Regarding our actions, we can at times put ourselves in situations that tempt us and lead to sin.  These occasions of sin must be cut off from our lives.

 

Reflect, today, upon this very direct and powerful language of our Lord.  Let the forcefulness of His words be an impetus for change and avoidance of all sin.

 

Today's Prayer

 

My demanding Lord, I am sorry for my sin and I ask for Your mercy and forgiveness.  Please help me to avoid all that leads me to sin and to surrender all my thoughts and actions to You every day.  Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.

 

 

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!”