Daily Readings August 27, 2012

Memorial of Saint Monica

Saint Monica, the faithful mother of St. Augustine.  Patron saint of wives and mothers because by her faithful prayers, she converted her husband and her children to the Catholic faith.  St. Augustine, of course, became one of the greatest doctors of the Church and he gives most credit for his knowledge of the faith, to his mother.  Read more....to come back, hit the back button.

Lectionary: 425

Reading 1 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12

We are back in the New Testament, where St. Paul is addressing the Thessalonians.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians

St. Paul does this more than anyone else, he includes other members of his group in the address or conclusion.

in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:grace to you and peace from God our Fatherand the Lord Jesus Christ.

And he begins frequently by bestowing a blessing from God.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters,as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more,and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater.

He thanks God for the faith and love that is flourishing in that community.

Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of Godregarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutionsand the afflictions you endure.

And he records that the Church is very proud of the Thessalonian Community.

This is evidence of the just judgment of God,so that you may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of Godfor which you are suffering.

He says that this is a sign that God has judged them meritorious of achieving the glory for which they have been suffering.

We always pray for you,that our God may make you worthy of his callingand powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purposeand every effort of faith,that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,and you in him,in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

And he and the other Church leaders continually pray, that God will bring to fulfillment their salvation in the name of our Lord Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5

Response. (3) Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.

R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Alleluia!  Praise God all you peoples!  This is the work which we were created to do.  We were created by God to praise His holy name.  That is why we are, each and everyone of us, priests.

1 Peter 2:9
King James Version (KJV)
⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Gospel Mt 23:13-22

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.You do not enter yourselves,nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.

Jesus reproaches the Pharisees.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.You traverse sea and land to make one convert,and when that happens you make him a child of Gehennatwice as much as yourselves.

In all the preceding lines, Jesus is saying that the Pharisees, by their example, neither enter into the Kingdom of God themselves, nor let anyone else in either.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say,'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,or the temple that made the gold sacred?And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,or the altar that makes the gift sacred?One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;one who swears by the temple swears by itand by him who dwells in it;one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of Godand by him who is seated on it."

The Pharisees held gold and material gifts in higher esteem than they did God.  Because of their greed and pride, they had lost the spiritual gift of wisdom and discernment in matters of faith.

Sincerely,

De Maria