GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY : Saturday - July 30, 2022

Saturday - July 30, 2022

All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.

~~St. Francis of Assisi

July 30, 2022

SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Lectionary: 406

 

Reading 1                                                     JER 26:11-16, 24

 

The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people,

“This man deserves death;

he has prophesied against this city,

as you have heard with your own ears.”

Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people:

“It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city

all that you have heard.

Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;

listen to the voice of the LORD your God,

so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.

As for me, I am in your hands;

do with me what you think good and right.

But mark well: if you put me to death,

it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves,

on this city and its citizens.

For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you,

to speak all these things for you to hear.”

 

Thereupon the princes and all the people

said to the priests and the prophets,

“This man does not deserve death;

it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”

 

So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah,

so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

 

Responsorial Psalm                                              PS 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34

 

R.(14c)  Lord, in your great love, answer me.

 

Rescue me out of the mire; may I not sink!

may I be rescued from my foes,

and from the watery depths.

Let not the flood-waters overwhelm me,

nor the abyss swallow me up,

nor the pit close its mouth over me.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

But I am afflicted and in pain;

let your saving help, O God, protect me.

I will praise the name of God in song,

and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

“See, you lowly ones, and be glad;

you who seek God, may your hearts revive!

For the LORD hears the poor,

and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.”

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

 

Alleluia                                                                      MT 5:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel                                                                       Mt 14:1-12

 

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus

and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.

He has been raised from the dead;

that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

 

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison

on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,

for John had said to him,

“It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,

for they regarded him as a prophet.

But at a birthday celebration for Herod,

the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests

and delighted Herod so much

that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.

Prompted by her mother, she said,

“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

The king was distressed,

but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,

he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.

His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,

who took it to her mother.

His disciples came and took away the corpse

and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

 

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HOW TO BE GOD’S PROPHET

It’s worth pondering how we (me, you, and other friends of God) can best make a difference for the kingdom of God in today’s dark world, which seems to be getting darker every day.

 

Lately, there have been definite signs that the light of Christ has begun reversing evil. Praise the Lord! Many Spirit-filled Christian prophets have been prophesying this for a couple of years now, and we want it to happen quickly. However, God is not flipping a light switch. He’s setting a fire that starts as sparks here and there and then spreads and grows.

 

It’s growing! That’s the prophetic word that I feel in my heart, which I want to share with you today.

 

Like Jeremiah and John the Baptist in this Saturday’s readings for Catholic Mass, we are all called to be prophets. It’s a character trait in all of God’s children. During our baptisms we were marked with oil as a sign of being consecrated to God the Father, anointed by the Holy Spirit, to join Jesus in his threefold mission as prophet, priest, and king.

 

As a prophet, you are a messenger sent by God. As a prophet, you speak on God’s behalf, encouraging others in their faith journeys. Sometimes the message is about the future.

 

Think about this. How well is your prophetic character trait showing? What holds you back?

 

Mystical experiences are not limited by God; they are limited by us and the insufficient faith formation we’ve had. The vocation of prophet is not limited to a few super-saints and mystics; you and I have the same calling as they’ve had.

 

Here are 7 steps to becoming the prophet you are called to be:

 

1. Say “yes” to this calling.

 

2. Acknowledge the reasons you hold back and turn them over to the Lord, including in the Sacrament of Confession.

 

3. Ask the Holy Spirit daily to renew you and fill you to overflowing. A personal relationship with the Holy Spirit is a must.

 

4. Fill yourself with good faith formation. Learn something every day. Spend less time on secular entertainment. Take advantage of the many resources you find on our Good News Ministries websites and your other favorite Catholic websites.

 

5. Pay attention to the Holy Spirit stirring up a message within you. When do you feel disturbed by something going on in the world or in the Church? That disturbance is the Holy Spirit giving you a message to speak.

 

6. Find outlets for the message. Jesus will point them out to you. Don’t force yourself upon anyone. Just look for an open door that God is providing. If you can’t see it yet, write the message in a journal for safekeeping. And hey, it’s a good idea to save it in a journal anyway. (My personal method is to put it into an email that I send to myself and save in a special folder.)

 

7. Spend time praising and worshiping God with words of joy, thanking him for fertilizing and growing the seeds you planted for him.

 

Today's Prayer

 

Lord, give me the grace of taking the treasure of Your message of love to my neighbors and of rescuing souls for You throughout my life. 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!”