'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

DAILY GOSPEL: 11/06/2010

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - Solemnity

Book of Ezekiel 34:11-16.
For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.
I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the foreign lands; I will bring them back to their own country and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel (in the land's ravines and all its inhabited places).
In good pastures will I pasture them, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing ground. There they shall lie down on good grazing ground, and in rich pastures shall they be pastured on the mountains of Israel.
I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal (but the sleek and the strong I will destroy), shepherding them rightly.

Psalms 23(22):1-3.4.5.6.
A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.
In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me;
you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name.
Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage.
You set a table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Only goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

Letter to the Romans 5:5-11.
And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15:3-7.
So to them he addressed this parable.
What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'
I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 

Lc 15,3-7

Commentary of the day 
Blessed John XXIII (1881-1963), pope
Journal of a soul, 1901-1903

'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'

       I feel that my Jesus is drawing ever closer to me. These last days he has let me fall into the sea and drown in the consideration of my wretchedness and pride so as to make me understand just how much I need him. Just as I am on the verge of being overcome, Jesus, walking on the water, comes smiling to meet me so that I may be saved. With Peter I should like to say to him: «Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man» (Lk 5,8) but I am forestalled by the gentleness of his heart and sweetness of his words: «Fear not» (Lk 5,10).

       Ah! Beside you I am not afraid of anything! I snuggle up against you and, like the lost sheep, hear the beating of your heart. Jesus, yet again I am yours, yours for ever. With you I am truly great; without you, nothing but a weak reed; upheld by you, I am a pillar. I must never forget my wretchedness, not so as to be constantly trembling but so that, regardless of my lowliness and confusion, I may, with ever greater confidence, draw close to your heart. For my wretchedness is the throne of your mercy and love.

---

Friday, 11 June 2010

St. Barnabas, Apostle

---

SAINT BARNABAS
Apostle

        We read that in the first days of the Church, "the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul; neither did any one say that aught of the things which he possessed was his own." Of this fervent company, one only is singled out by name, Joseph, a rich Levite, from Cyprus. "He having land sold it, and brought the price and laid it at the feet of the apostles." They now gave him a new name, Barnabas, the son of consolation.

        He was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and was soon chosen for an important mission to the rapidly-growing Church of Antioch. Here he perceived the great work which was to be done among the Greeks, so he hastened to fetch St. Paul from his retirement at Tarsus.

        It was at Antioch that the two Saints were called to the apostolate of the Gentiles, and hence they set out together to Cyprus and the cities of Asia Minor. Their preaching struck men with amazement, and some cried out, "The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men," calling Paul Mercury, and Barnabas Jupiter.

        The Saints travelled together to the Council of Jerusalem, but shortly after this they parted. When Agabus prophesied a great famine, Barnabas, no longer rich, was chosen by the faithful at Antioch as most fit to bear, with St. Paul, their generous offerings to the Church of Jerusalem. The gentle Barnabas, keeping with him John, surnamed Mark, whom St. Paul distrusted, betook himself to Cyprus, where the sacred history leaves him; and here, at a later period, he won his martyr's crown.

«Regocijaos conmigo, porque he encontrado a mi oveja, la que había perdido»

EVANGELIO DEL DÍA: 11/06/2010

¿ Señor, a quién iremos?. Tú tienes palabras de vida eterna. Jn 6, 68

El Sagrado Corazón de Jesús - Solemnidad

Libro de Ezequiel 34,11-16.
Porque así habla el Señor: ¡Aquí estoy yo! Yo mismo voy a buscar mi rebaño y me ocuparé de él.
Como el pastor se ocupa de su rebaño cuando está en medio de sus ovejas dispersas, así me ocuparé de mis ovejas y las libraré de todos los lugares donde se habían dispersado, en un día de nubes y tinieblas.
Las sacaré de entre los pueblos, las reuniré de entre las naciones, las traeré a su propio suelo y las apacentaré sobre las montañas de Israel, en los cauces de los torrentes y en todos los poblados del país.
Las apacentaré en buenos pastizales y su lugar de pastoreo estará en las montañas altas de Israel. Allí descansarán en un buen lugar de pastoreo, y se alimentarán con ricos pastos sobre las montañas de Israel.
Yo mismo apacentaré a mis ovejas y las llevaré a descansar -oráculo del Señor-.
Buscaré a la oveja perdida, haré volver a la descarriada, vendaré a la herida y curaré a la enferma, pero exterminaré a la que está gorda y robusta. Yo las apacentaré con justicia.

Salmo 23(22),1-3.4.5.6.
Salmo de David. El señor es mi pastor, nada me puede faltar.
El me hace descansar en verdes praderas, me conduce a las aguas tranquilas
y repara mis fuerzas; me guía por el recto sendero, por amor de su Nombre.
Aunque cruce por oscuras quebradas, no temeré ningún mal, porque tú estás conmigo: tu vara y tu bastón me infunden confianza.
Tú preparas ante mí una mesa, frente a mis enemigos; unges con óleo mi cabeza y mi copa rebosa.
Tu bondad y tu gracia me acompañan a lo largo de mi vida; y habitaré en la Casa del Señor, por muy largo tiempo.

Carta de San Pablo a los Romanos 5,5-11.
Y la esperanza no quedará defraudada, porque el amor de Dios ha sido derramado en nuestros corazones por el Espíritu Santo, que nos ha sido dado.
En efecto, cuando todavía éramos débiles, Cristo, en el tiempo señalado, murió por los pecadores.
Difícilmente se encuentra alguien que dé su vida por un hombre justo; tal vez alguno sea capaz de morir por un bienhechor.
Pero la prueba de que Dios nos ama es que Cristo murió por nosotros cuando todavía éramos pecadores.
Y ahora que estamos justificados por su sangre, con mayor razón seremos librados por él de la ira de Dios.
Porque si siendo enemigos, fuimos reconciliados con Dios por la muerte de su Hijo, mucho más ahora que estamos reconciliados, seremos salvados por su vida.
Y esto no es todo: nosotros nos gloriamos en Dios, por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, por quien desde ahora hemos recibido la reconciliación.

Evangelio según San Lucas 15,3-7.
Jesús les dijo entonces esta parábola:
"Si alguien tiene cien ovejas y pierde una, ¿no deja acaso las noventa y nueve en el campo y va a buscar la que se había perdido, hasta encontrarla?
Y cuando la encuentra, la carga sobre sus hombros, lleno de alegría,
y al llegar a su casa llama a sus amigos y vecinos, y les dice: "Alégrense conmigo, porque encontré la oveja que se me había perdido".
Les aseguro que, de la misma manera, habrá más alegría en el cielo por un solo pecador que se convierta, que por noventa y nueve justos que no necesitan convertirse". 

 Lc 15,3-7

Leer el comentario del Evangelio por 
Beato Juan XXIII (1881-1963), papa
Diario del alma, 1901-1903

«Regocijaos conmigo, porque he encontrado a mi oveja, la que había perdido»

     Siento que Jesús está cada vez más cerca de mí. Ha permitido estos días que caiga en el mar, que me ahogue en la consideración de mi miseria y de mi orgullo, para hacerme comprender hasta qué punto tengo necesidad de él. En el momento en que estoy a punto de sumergirme, Jesús, caminando sobre las aguas, viene, sonriente,  a mi encuentro para salvarme. Quisiera decirle con Pedro: «Apártate de mí, Señor, que soy un pecador» (Lc 5,8) pero la ternura de su corazón se me adelanta y con la dulzura de sus palabras me dice: «No tengas miedo» (Lc 5,10).

     ¡Oh, nada temo a vuestro lado! Descanso enteramente en vos; como la oveja perdida siento los latidos de vuestro corazón; Jesús, una vez más os digo que soy todo vuestro, vuestro para siempre. Con vos soy verdaderamente grande; sin vos no soy que una débil caña, pero apoyado en vos soy una columna. No debo olvidar jamás mi miseria, no para temblar continuamente, sino para que, a pesar de mi humildad y mi confusión, me acerque cada vez con más confianza a vuestro corazón, porque mi miseria es el trono de vuestra misericordia y de vuestro amor.

---

viernes 11 Junio 2010

Sagrado Corazón de Jesús

---

La devoción al Corazón de Jesús ha existido desde los primeros tiempos de la Iglesia, desde que se meditaba en el costado y el Corazón abierto de Jesús, de donde salió sangre y agua. De ese Corazón nació la Iglesia y por ese Corazón se abrieron las puertas del Cielo. La devoción al Sagrado Corazón está por encima de otras devociones porque veneramos al mismo Corazón de Dios. Pero fue el propio Jesús que, en el siglo XVII en Paray-le-Monial, Francia, solicitó, a través de una humilde religiosa, que se estableciera definitiva y específicamente la devoción a su Sacratísimo Corazón.

En efecto, el 16 de junio de 1675, Jesús se le apareció a Santa Margarita María de Alacoque. Su Corazón estaba rodeado de llamas de amor, coronado de espinas, con una herida abierta de la cual brotaba sangre y, del interior de su corazón, salía una cruz. Santa Margarita escuchó a Nuestro Señor decir: "He aquí el Corazón que tanto ha amado a los hombres, y en cambio, de la mayor parte de los hombres no recibe nada más que ingratitud, irreverencia y desprecio, en este sacramento de amor." Con estas palabras Nuestro Señor mismo nos dice en qué consiste la devoción a su Sagrado Corazón. La devoción en sí está dirigida a la persona de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo y a su amor no correspondido, representado por su Corazón. Dos, pues son los actos esenciales de esta devoción: amor y reparación. Amor, por lo mucho que Él nos ama. Reparación y desagravio, por las muchas injurias que recibe sobre todo en la Sagrada Eucaristía.

La devoción al Corazón de Jesús, no solo se ajusta enteramente a los requisitos mencionados en el documento del Concilio Vaticano II concerniente a la liturgia, sino que, además, se encuentra enraizada en la entraña del mismo Evangelio, de donde proceden todos aquellos ideales, actitudes, conductas y prácticas fundamentales, definitorias del auténtico cristianismo y peculiares del culto cristiano. En este sentido, la devoción al Corazón de Jesús está totalmente de acuerdo con la esencia del Cristianismo, que es religión de amor. Ya que tiene por fin el aumento de nuestro amor a Dios y a los hombres. No apareció de repente en la Iglesia, ni se puede afirmar que deba su origen a revelaciones privadas. Pues es evidente que las revelaciones de Santa Margarita María de Alacoque no añadieron nada nuevo a la Doctrina Católica.

La importancia de estas revelaciones está unicamente en que sirvieron para que, de una forma extraordinaria, Cristo nos llamase la atención para que nos fijásemos en los misterios de su amor. "En su corazón debemos poner todas las esperanzas". Ya que "la Eucaristía, el Sacerdocio y María son dones del Corazón de Jesús" (Pío XII, Encíclica Haurietis Aquas)

"Go first and be reconciled with your brother"

DAILY GOSPEL: 10/06/2010

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

Thursday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time

1st book of Kings 18:41-46.
Elijah then said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain."
So Ahab went up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees.
"Climb up and look out to sea," he directed his servant, who went up and looked, but reported, "There is nothing." Seven times he said, "Go look again!"
And the seventh time the youth reported, "There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising from the sea." Elijah said, "Go and say to Ahab, 'Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.'"
In a trice, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel.
But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, who girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab as far as the approaches to Jezreel.

Psalms 65:10.11.12-13.
You visit the earth and water it, make it abundantly fertile. God's stream is filled with water; with it you supply the world with grain. Thus do you prepare the earth:
you drench plowed furrows, and level their ridges. With showers you keep the ground soft, blessing its young sprouts.
You adorn the year with your bounty; your paths drip with fruitful rain.
The untilled meadows also drip; the hills are robed with joy.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:20-26.
I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.'
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
Mt 5,20-26

Commentary of the day
Saint Caesarius of Arles (470-543), Monk and Bishop

"Go first and be reconciled with your brother"

You know what it is we pray to God before going up to communion: «Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.» So prepare yourselves interiorly to forgive since those are the words you are going to encounter in prayer. How are you going to say them? Are you perhaps not going to say them? In the last resort this is indeed my question: are you going to say those words, yes or no? You hate your brother yet you declare: «Forgive us as we forgive.» You will say: I avoid those words. But in that case, are you really praying? Pay good attention, my brothers. In a short time you are going to pray; forgive with all your hearts!

Do you indeed want to accuse your enemy? First of all accuse your own heart. Say to that heart: «Stop hating»... But then, since you don't want to forgive, your soul is saddened when you say to it: «Stop hating». Well then, answer it: «Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why do you sigh within me? Hope in God» (Ps 42[41],6). You are uneasy, you sigh, your sickness wounds you, you don't manage to throw off your hatred. Hope in God: that is the remedy. He was hung on the cross for your sake yet without claiming his revenge. As for you, it is your revenge you are looking for since that is the real meaning of your rancor. Look at your God on the cross: it is for your sake he suffers that his blood might become your cure. Do you want to avenge yourself? Look at Christ hanging there, hear him pray: «Father, forgive them for they know not what they do» (Lk 23,34).




Thursday, 10 June 2010
St. Margaret of Scotland, Queen (+ 1093)

Other saints of the day

SAINT MARGARET OF SCOTLAND
Queen
(+ 1093°

St. Margaret's name signifies "pearl;" "a fitting name," says Theodoric, her confessor and her first biographer, "for one such as she." Her soul was like a precious pearl. A life spent amidst the luxury of a royal court never dimmed its lustre, or stole it away from Him who had bought it with His blood. She was the grand, daughter of an English king; and in 1070 she became the bride of Malcolm, and reigned Queen of Scotland till her death in 1093.

How did she become a Saint in a position where sanctity is so difficult? First, she burned with zeal for the house of God. She built churches and monasteries; she busied herself in making vestments; she could not rest till she saw the laws of God and His Church observed throughout her realm. Next, amidst a thousand cares, she found time to converse with God-ordering her piety with such sweetness and discretion that she won her husband to sanctity like her own. He used to rise with her at night for prayer; he loved to kiss the holy books she used, and sometimes he would steal them away, and bring them back to his wife covered with jewels.

Lastly, with virtues so great, she wept constantly over her sins, and begged her confessor to correct her faults. St. Margaret did not neglect her duties in the world because she was not of it. Never was a better mother. She spared no pains in the education of her eight children, and their sanctity was the fruit of her prudence and her zeal. Never was a better queen. She was the most trusted counsellor of her husband, and she labored for the material improvement of the country.

But, in the midst of the world's pleasures, she sighed for the better country, and accepted death as a release. On her death-bed she received the news that her husband and her eldest son were slain in battle. She thanked God, who had sent this last affliction as a penance for her sins. After receiving Holy Viaticum, she was repeating the prayer from the Missal, "O Lord Jesus Christ, Who by Thy death didst give life to the world, deliver me." At the words "deliver me," says her biographer, she took her departure to Christ, the Author of true liberty.