Introduction
to Galatians[1]
The Galatians to whom the letter is addressed were Paul’s converts, most likely among the descendants of Celts who had invaded western and central Asia Minor in the third century B.C. and had settled in the territory around Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey). Paul had passed through this area on his second missionary journey this area was part of the Roman province of Galatia, and some scholars think that South Galatia was the destination of this letter. The new Christians whom Paul is addressing were converts from paganism who were now being enticed by other missionaries to add the observances of the Jewish law, including the rite of circumcision, to the cross of Christ as a means of salvation. For, since Paul’s visit, some other interpretation of Christianity had been brought to these neophytes, probably by converts from Judaism (the name “Judaizers” is sometimes applied to them); it has specifically been suggested that they were Jewish Christians who had come from the austere Essene sect. These interlopers insisted on the necessity of following certain precepts of the Mosaic law along with faith in Christ. They were undermining Paul’s authority also, asserting that he had not been trained by Jesus himself, that his gospel did not agree with that of the original and true apostles in Jerusalem, that he had kept from his converts in Galatia the necessity of accepting circumcision and other key obligations of the Jewish law, in order more easily to win them to Christ, and that his gospel was thus not the full and authentic one held by “those of repute” in Jerusalem. When Paul learned of the situation, he wrote this defense of his apostolic authority and of the correct understanding of the faith. He set forth the unique importance of Christ and his redemptive sacrifice on the cross, the freedom that Christians enjoy from the old burdens of the law, the total sufficiency of Christ and of faith in Christ as the way to God and to eternal life, and the beauty of the new life of the Spirit. Galatians is thus a summary of basic Pauline theology. Autobiographically, the letter gives us Paul’s own accounts of how he came to faith, the agreement in “the truth of the gospel” that he shared with the Jewish Christian leaders in Jerusalem, James, Cephas, and John, and the rebuke he had to deliver to Cephas in Antioch for inconsistency, contrary to the gospel, on the issue of table fellowship in the racially mixed church of Jewish and Gentile Christians in Antioch. At the conclusion of the letter, Paul wrote in his own hand a vivid summary of the message to the Galatians. In his vigorous emphasis on the absolute preeminence of Christ and his cross as God’s way to salvation and holiness, Paul stresses Christian freedom and the ineffectiveness of the Mosaic law for gaining divine favor and blessings. The pious Jew saw in the law a way established by God to win divine approval by a life of meticulous observance of ritual, social, and moral regulations. But Paul’s profound insight into the higher designs of God in Christ led him to understand and welcome the priority of promise and faith (shown in the experience of Abraham, and the supernatural gifts of the Spirit. His enthusiasm for this new vision of the life of grace in Christ and of the uniquely salvific role of Christ’s redemptive death on the cross shines through this whole letter.
SEPTEMBER 18 Fifteen Sunday after Pentecost
Galatians, chapter 2, verse 11-12
11 And when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. 12 For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was AFRAID of the circumcised.
Peter was afraid of James’ crew due to his inconsistency. The Church recognized the freedom of Gentile Christians from the Jewish law. As we study righteousness understand that a large part of righteous is to be consistent, in season and out of season.
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]
My esteemed Brothers in the
Episcopate
and the Priesthood,
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
Introduction
2. The Resurrection of Jesus is the
fundamental event upon which Christian faith rests (cf. 1 Cor 15:14). It
is an astonishing reality, fully grasped in the light of faith, yet
historically attested to by those who were privileged to see the Risen Lord. It
is a wondrous event which is not only absolutely unique in human history, but
which lies at the very heart of the mystery of time. In fact, "all
time belongs to [Christ] and all the ages", as the evocative liturgy of
the Easter Vigil recalls in preparing the Paschal Candle. Therefore, in
commemorating the day of Christ's Resurrection not just once a year but every
Sunday, the Church seeks to indicate to every generation the true fulcrum of
history, to which the mystery of the world's origin and its final destiny
leads.
It is right, therefore, to claim, in
the words of a fourth century homily, that "the Lord's Day" is
"the lord of days". Those who have received the grace of faith in the
Risen Lord cannot fail to grasp the significance of this day of the week with
the same deep emotion which led Saint Jerome to say: "Sunday is the day of
the Resurrection, it is the day of Christians, it is our day". For
Christians, Sunday is "the fundamental feast day", established not
only to mark the succession of time but to reveal time's deeper meaning.
Fifteenth Sunday after
Pentecost
The focus
of this Sunday instructs us to weep over lost souls and rejoice
over converted ones. Today the church retells the rising of the widow of Nain’s
dead son by Christ.
THE Introit of the Mass of this day is a fervent
prayer which may be said in any need or adversity. ‘Bow down Thy ear, O Lord,
to me and hear me; save Thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in Thee; have
mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to Thee all day. Give joy to the soul of
Thy servant, for to Thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.”
Prayer.
May continued mercy purify and defend Thy Church, O
Lord; and since without Thee it cannot remain safe, may it ever be governed by
Thy bounty!
EPISTLE. Gal. v. 25, 26; vi. 1-10.
Brethren: If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit. Let us not be made desirous of vainglory, provoking one
another, envying one another. And if a man be overtaken in any fault, you, who
are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so you
shall fulfil the law of Christ. For if any man think himself to be something,
whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let everyone prove his own
work, and so he shall have glory in himself only, and not in another. For
everyone shall bear his own burden. And let him that is instructed in the word
communicate to him that instructed him, in all good things. Be not deceived:
God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap.
For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption: but
he that soweth in the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life everlasting. And in
doing good, let us not fail for in due time we shall reap, not failing.
Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all men, but especially to
those who are of the household of the faith.
Explanation.
From this epistle we learn that humility should
teach and admonish us to think little of ourselves to shun self-confidence and
vainglory; charity should incite us, on the other hand, to be meek, loving,
compassionate, and kind to every man, even to sinners; to administer correction
to the erring only with charity, for if this be done with impertinent and
insolent zeal, we shall not only fail to correct offenders, but shall ourselves
fall into the same temptations and sins; for God, by a common and just
judgment, allows the proud, who look down upon others sins, to fall into sin
themselves, that they may learn to be humble, and to have compassion upon those
who have gone astray.
Aspiration.
O St. Paul, procure for me, by thy prayers, the
grace of God, that I may continually walk in humility, may always love my
neighbor, and, in particular, may bear with patience his faults and frailties,
that so I may fulfil the law of God, and reap an abundant harvest.
GOSPEL. Luke vii. 11-16.
At
that time Jesus went into a city that is called Nairn: and there went with Him
His disciples, and a great multitude. And when He came nigh to the gate of the
city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she
was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her. Whom when the Lord
had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, He said to her: Weep not. And He
came near and touched the brier. And they that carried it stood still. And He
said: young man, I say to thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up and began to
speak. And He gave him to his mother. And there came a fear on them all: and
they glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and God hath
visited His people.
Why
did Christ have compassion on this widow? To show us that God takes
forsaken and afflicted widows under His care, and becomes Himself their
comforter and helper, and to teach us that we should do likewise. Christ had,
however, still other grounds for His compassion; for He foresaw in this dead
youth of Nairn the death of the sinner, and in the affliction of the mother the
grief which the Church would suffer over the spiritual loss of so many
children.
“Why
did Christ say to this widow, Weep not?” To intimate that He would restore her son to her, and
at the same time to teach us that we should not mourn and weep to excess for
the dead. St. Paul therefore admonishes us not to be sorrowful in regard to the
dead, as others who have no hope of resurrection (i. Thess. iv. 12).
Why
did Christ command the bearers to stand still? To awaken their confidence and to
put it beyond doubt that the resurrection of the dead proceeded from Him. This
should teach us that a soul that is dead cannot be restored to life so long as
the passions which have caused its death, and borne it, as it were, to the
grave, are not brought to a stop.
What
more do we learn from this gospel? That
no one, however young, is safe from death; and that everyone, therefore, should
be always prepared for it.
What is often the cause of early
death among young persons?
1. Gluttony and intemperance (Alcohol/Drug
use); for by surfeiting and intemperance more perish than by the sword (Ecclus.
xxxvii. 34).
2. Lust.
3. Anger “If you bite and devour
one another, take heed you be not consumed one of another” (Gal. v. 15). From
angry words often come strife and blows, and not unfrequently murder itself.
4. Disobedience. We have dreadful
examples to show that God has taken out of the world, early and suddenly,
disobedient children, for instance, Absalom. Not without reason does God say to
children “Honor thy father and mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee,
that thou mayest live a long time, and it may be well with thee in the land”
(Deut. v. 16).
ON
DEATH
Certain
it is that we shall die, but uncertain the hour of our death. Would that we
might never forget this truth that we might earnestly think of it every day!
How different our lives would then be! Have mercy, then, on thine own soul.
Keep thyself in readiness so live that thou mayest have no reason to fear
death. Do in thy lifetime what in the hour of death you will wish that you had
done. Die daily, with St. Paul, by crucifying the flesh with its desires and
lusts, and by voluntarily loosening thy heart from the world, its goods, and
its vanities, before death does this for you by violence. In time of temptation
and passion think of these truths and resist then to die will not be too hard.
Who is it that fears not death…?
Whoever walks without blame, doing
what is right, speaking truth from the heart; Who does not slander with his
tongue, does no harm to a friend, never defames a neighbor; Who disdains the
wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent.
National Cheeseburger
Day[3]
National Cheeseburger Day is a day of appreciation for cheeseburgers. Typically, when cooking a cheeseburger, cheese is added to a hamburger patty a few seconds before the patty is removed from the heat. This allows the cheese to melt onto the burger. According to an obituary published by Time in 1964, Lionel Sternberger created the cheeseburger in 1920s, when he placed cheese on top of a hamburger as an experiment. Sternberger was 16 and worked as a cook in his father's sandwich shop in Pasadena, California. Aside from cheese, other cheeseburger toppings include ketchup and mustard. This tasty national holiday is celebrated each year on September 18th.
National Cheeseburger Day Facts & Quotes
· According
to the US Department of Agriculture, the average cheeseburger contains 303
calories and 30 grams of carbohydrates, as well as 41 mg of cholesterol.
· In 2008,
Burger King released a men's cologne called Flame. This cologne was
marketed as the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat. Sounds
like a whiff of purgatory, to me!
· Each
year, McDonald's serves more than 5 billion burgers, which translates into a
herd of 25 million cows.
· According
to archeologists, ancient Egyptian tombs contain murals about cheese making,
which date back to 2000BC.
· Life is
too short to miss out on the beautiful things in life like a double
cheeseburger. - Channing Tatum
National Cheeseburger Day Top Events and Things to
Do
· Enjoy a
cheeseburger for lunch or dinner. Try it with an exotic cheese. Our
favorites: Havarti, blue cheese, smoked gouda and goat cheese.
· To try a
twist on the traditional cheeseburger with a veggie, tofu, lamb, bison or
chicken patty instead.
· To
celebrate National Cheeseburger Day, host a cheeseburger tasting with your
family and friends. You can create slider cheeseburgers with an
assortment of toppings, including:
- Spicy curry mayo with a mango salsa
- Fried egg and bacon
- Mac & Cheese
- Grilled eggplant and hummus
- Wasabi mayo and avocado
- Guacamole, lettuce and tomato
· Enjoy a
free cheeseburger or a cheeseburger upgrade on this national holiday. Some
restaurants are offering free cheeseburgers for downloading aps, others free
upgrades and others free cheeseburgers for sharing promotional hashtags.
· Watch
empowering documentaries about the impact of unhealthy eating on health and
well-being:
1) Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (2010)
2) Supersize Me (2004)
3) Food, Inc (2008)
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
Article 7-THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
III.
Matrimonial Consent
1625 The parties to a marriage covenant are a baptized man and
woman, free to contract marriage, who freely express their consent; "to be
free" means:
- not being under constraint;
- not impeded by any natural or ecclesiastical law.
1626 The Church holds the exchange of consent between the
spouses to be the indispensable element that "makes the marriage." If
consent is lacking there is no marriage.
1627 The consent consists in a "human act by which the
partners mutually give themselves to each other": "I take you to be
my wife" - "I take you to be my husband." This consent that
binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfillment in the two "becoming
one flesh."
1628 The consent must be an act of the will of each of the
contracting parties, free of coercion or grave external fear. No human
power can substitute for this consent. If this freedom is lacking the
marriage is invalid.
1629 For this reason (or for other reasons that render the
marriage null and void) the Church, after an examination of the situation by
the competent ecclesiastical tribunal, can declare the nullity of a marriage,
i.e., that the marriage never existed. In this case the contracting
parties are free to marry, provided the natural obligations of a previous union
are discharged.
1630 The priest (or deacon) who assists at the celebration of a
marriage receives the consent of the spouses in the name of the Church and
gives the blessing of the Church. the presence of the Church's minister (and
also of the witnesses) visibly expresses the fact that marriage is an ecclesial
reality.
1631 This is the reason why the Church normally requires that
the faithful contract marriage according to the ecclesiastical form. Several
reasons converge to explain this requirement:
- Sacramental marriage is a liturgical act. It is therefore appropriate that it
should be celebrated in the public liturgy of the Church;
- Marriage introduces one into an ecclesial order, and creates rights and
duties in the Church between the spouses and towards their children; - Since
marriage is a state of life in the Church, certainty about it is necessary
(hence the obligation to have witnesses);
- the public character of the consent protects the "I do" once given
and helps the spouses remain faithful to it.
1632 So that the "I do" of the spouses may be a free
and responsible act and so that the marriage covenant may have solid and
lasting human and Christian foundations, preparation for marriage is of prime
importance.
The example
and teaching given by parents and families remain the special form of this
preparation.
The role of pastors and of the Christian community as the "family of
God" is indispensable for the transmission of the human and Christian
values of marriage and family, and much more so in our era when many young
people experience broken homes which no longer sufficiently assure this
initiation:
It is imperative to give suitable and timely instruction to young people, above
all in the heart of their own families, about the dignity of married love, its
role and its exercise, so that, having learned the value of chastity, they will
be able at a suitable age to engage in honorable courtship and enter upon a
marriage of their own.
Mixed marriages
and disparity of cult
1633 In many countries the situation of a mixed marriage
(marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic) often arises. It
requires particular attention on the part of couples and their pastors. A case
of marriage with disparity of cult (between a Catholic and a nonbaptized
person) requires even greater circumspection.
1634 Difference of confession between the spouses does not
constitute an insurmountable obstacle for marriage, when they succeed in
placing in common what they have received from their respective communities,
and learn from each other the way in which each lives in fidelity to Christ.
But the difficulties of mixed marriages must not be underestimated. They arise
from the fact that the separation of Christians has not yet been overcome. the
spouses risk experiencing the tragedy of Christian disunity even in the heart
of their own home. Disparity of cult can further aggravate these difficulties.
Differences about faith and the very notion of marriage, but also different
religious mentalities, can become sources of tension in marriage, especially as
regards the education of children. the temptation to religious indifference can
then arise.
1635 According to the law in force in the Latin Church, a mixed
marriage needs for liceity the express permission of ecclesiastical authority. In
case of disparity of cult an express dispensation from this impediment is
required for the validity of the marriage. This permission or dispensation
presupposes that both parties know and do not exclude the essential ends and
properties of marriage and the obligations assumed by the Catholic party
concerning the baptism and education of the children in the Catholic Church.
1636 Through ecumenical dialogue Christian communities in many
regions have been able to put into effect a common pastoral practice for mixed
marriages. Its task is to help such couples live out their particular situation
in the light of faith, overcome the tensions between the couple's obligations
to each other and towards their ecclesial communities, and encourage the
flowering of what is common to them in faith and respect for what separates
them.
1637 In marriages with disparity of cult the Catholic spouse
has a particular task: "For the unbelieving husband is consecrated through
his wife, and the unbelieving wife is consecrated through her husband." It
is a great joy for the Christian spouse and for the Church if this
"consecration" should lead to the free conversion of the other spouse
to the Christian faith. Sincere married love, the humble and patient
practice of the family virtues, and perseverance in prayer can prepare the
non-believing spouse to accept the grace of conversion.
Daily Devotions
·
Today in honor of the
Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no
shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: End
Sex Trafficking, Slavery
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1]http://usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Galatians&ch=
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