Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (14th
S. Ord. Time)
Acts, Chapter 10,
verse 22
They answered,
“Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by
the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his
house and to hear what you have to say.”
God is inclusive. He loves all of us; there are no
exclusive country clubs or universities in heaven. Here God reveals to Peter a
new perspective that even the hated Romans have a place at the table of the
Lord and this table is big enough to sit the entire world.
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord’, . . .but he who does the will of my Father. . .shall enter the kingdom of heaven". Not so much what one "says" about the Lord, but how he "does" His "Will," is what brings forth "good fruit". Deeds, not mere words, are acceptable to God; acceptable to neighbor also. Example is the best precept. The final fruit of sin is "death;" the fruit of "justice" is "life everlasting". The Holy Eucharist is the "health-giving" Fruit of Calvary, our antidote against the poison-laden Dead-Sea fruit of the world, the flesh and the devil.
"Faith cannot save without
virtue" (St. John Chrysostom).
What are good works? All actions of men which are done
according to the will of God, from love of Him, and by the help of grace.
Which are the
principal good works? Prayer,
fasting, and almsgiving. Prayer including all acts belonging to the service of
God: fasting, all mortifications of the body; almsgiving, all works of mercy.
How many are the
works of mercy? Two:
corporal and spiritual.
Which are the
spiritual works of mercy? Those
which have for their object the salvation of our neighbor; as,
1, to
admonish the sinner;
2, to
instruct the ignorant;
3, to
counsel the doubtful;
4, to
comfort the afflicted;
5, to bear
wrongs patiently;
6, to
forgive injuries and offences;
7, to pray
for the living and the dead.
Which are the
corporal works of mercy?
1, To feed
the hungry;
2, to give
drink to the thirsty;
3, to
clothe the naked;
4, to visit
the prisoners;
5, to
shelter the houseless;
6, to visit
the sick;
7, to bury
the dead.
What is necessary to
render works meritorious?
1, They must be good in themselves;
2, they must be done by the grace of God;
3, in the
state of grace;
4, by free
will;
5, with the
good intention of pleasing God.
Can we be saved
without good works? No;
for Christ says expressly, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall
be cut down and shall be cast into the fire.” And that servant in the Gospel
(Matt. xxv. 25) who neither wasted his talent nor yet traded with it, but
digged into the earth and hid his lord s money, was therefore cast into the
outer darkness.
The first and best means to overcome anger is
humility; to become thus humble, gentle, and patient, one must often consider the example of Christ, who endured so many
contradictions, persecutions, and insults, without reviling again when reviled
Himself, and without threatening vengeance to any one for all He suffered. An
excellent preventive to anger is, to think over in the morning what causes will
be likely to draw us into anger at any time during the day, and to guard
ourselves against them beforehand, by a firm resolution to bear everything
patiently for the love of God; and then, when anything vexatious occurs and
excites our anger, to say and do nothing so long as the anger lasts.
How shall we be
reconciled with our enemies? Not
only with the lips but from the heart, and with sincerity and promptness. “Is
he absent whom you have wronged,” says St. Augustine, “so that you cannot
easily reach him? Humble yourself then before God, and ask His pardon before
you offer your gift, with a firm resolution to be reconciled with your enemy as
soon as possible.”
This is Brotherhood
Sunday! Human experience confirms the need of this Divine teaching. Only when the
Fatherhood of God is recognized, will the Brotherhood of Man be
realized. Returning good for evil is possible only to those who love God. Oh,
how much our hate-torn world needs this prayer: "Pour into our hearts an
experience of Thy Love". In the practice of the Golden Rule, we plead with
the Divine "Helper" against worldly persecution and diabolical
"enemies". How can one who harbors anger, envy, bitterness,
indifference, aversion of any kind against his neighbor, have part in the
Sacrifice of Him Who offers Himself for His enemies? The sacrifice of our
selfish or even wounded feelings for Christ's sake is a most acceptable
"gift" to "leave before the altar".[4]
SCUD Day
stands for Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama Day, and encourages those
of us whose lives might have a touch too much drama to step back, relax, and
enjoy the funnier side of life. Relaxation and humour are good for your
physical and mental wellbeing, so turn the drama down a notch and enjoy a good
laugh instead. #ScudDay
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
11. Don't
waste your time and your energy —
which belong to God —
throwing stones at the dogs that bark at you on your way. Ignore them.
Daily Devotions
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
·
Please
Pray for Senator
McCain and our country; asking Our Lady of Beauraing to
intercede.
[1]My Sunday Missal,
Confraternity of the Precious Blood
[2]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896
[3]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896.
[4]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-07-09
[5]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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