"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Saints of the day:
SAINT JOHN GUALBERT
Abbot
(999-1073)
Abbot
(999-1073)
St. John Gualbert was born at Florence, A. D. 999. Following the profession of arms at that troubled period, he became involved in a blood-feud with a near relative. One Good Friday, as he was riding into Florence accompanied by armed men, he encountered his enemy in a place where neither could avoid the other. John would have slain him; but his adversary, who was totally unprepared to fight, fell upon his knees with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross, and implored him, for the sake of Our Lord's holy Passion, to spare his life. St. John said to his enemy, "I cannot refuse what you ask in Christ's name. I grant you your life, and I give you my friendship. Pray that God may forgive me my sin." Grace triumphed.
A humble and changed man, he entered the Church of St. Miniato, which was near; and whilst he prayed, the figure of our crucified Lord, before which he was kneeling, bowed its head toward him as if to ratify his pardon. Abandoning the world, he gave himself up to prayer and penance in the Benedictine Order.
Later he was led to found the congregation called of Vallombrosa, from the shady valley a few miles from Florence, where he established his first monastery. Once the enemies of the Saint came to his convent of St. Salvi, plundered it, and set fire to it, and having treated the monks with ignominy, beat them and wounded them. St. John rejoiced. "Now," he said, "you are true monks. Would that I myself had had the honor of being with you when the soldiers came, that I might have had a share in the glory of your crowns! "
He fought manfully against simony, and in many ways promoted the interest of the Faith in Italy. After a life of great austerity, he died whilst the angels were singing round his bed, on July 11th, 1073.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saints John Jones and John Wall
July 12 - Blesseds John Wall and John Jones
John Wall, in religion Father Joachim of St. Anna, was the fourth son of Anthony Wall of Chingle (Singleton) Hall, Lancashire. He was born in 1620, and when very young, was sent to the English College at Douai. From there he proceeded to Rome, where he was raised to the priesthood in 1648. Several years later he returned to Douai and was clothed in the habit of St. Francis in the convent of St. Bonaventure. He made his solemn profession on January 1, 1652. So great was the estimation in which he was held by his brethren, that within a few months he was elected vicar of the convent, and soon after, master of novices.In 1656 he joined the English mission, and for 12 years he labored on Worcestershire under the names of Francis Johnson or Webb, winning souls even more by his example than by his words. At Harvington to this day the memory of Blessed Father Johnson is cherished, and stories of his heroic zeal are recounted by the descendants of those who were privileged to know and love the glorious martyr.
Some of the charges raised against Father Wall when he was captured, were that he had said Mass, heard confessions, and received converts into the Church. He was accidentally found, in December 1678, at the house of a friend, Mr. Finch of Rushock, and carried off by the sheriff's officer. He was committed to Worchester jail, and lay captive for five months, enduring patiently all the loneliness, suffering, and horrors of prison life, which at that time were scarcely less dreadful than death itself.
On April 25, 1679, Father John was brought to court. His condemnation was a foregone conclusion. He was sent back to prison till the king's further pleasure concerning him should be known; and for another four months he languished in captivity. It was during this period that he was offered his life if he would deny his faith, "But I told them," said the martyr, "that I would not buy my life at so dear a rate as to wrong my conscience."
One of Father Wall's brethren in religion, Father William Levison, has the privilege of seeing the martyr for the space of four or five hours on the day before his execution. Father William tells us: "I heard his confession and communicated him, to his great joy and satisfaction. While in prison he carried himself like a true servant of his crucified Master, thirsting after nothing more than the shedding of his blood for the love of his God, which he performed with a courage and cheerfulness becoming a valiant soldier of Christ, to the great edification of all the Catholics, and admiration of all the Protestants."
Father Wall's martyrdom took place on Red Hill, overlooking the city of Worcester, on August 22, 1679. His head was kept in the convent at Douai until the French Revolution broke out and the community fled to England. What became of it, then, is not known. The Catholics of Worcester found consolation in remarking, as a proof of his sanctity, that his grave always appeared green, while the rest of the churchyard was bare. A large crucifix was raised in the little Catholic churchyard at Harvington to the memory of this saintly son of St. Francis, Father Joachim of St. Anna.
Father Joachim of St. Anna was beatified under the name of Blessed John Wall, December 15, 1929, together with a fellow Franciscan, Father Godfrey Maurice Jones, and 134 companions.
ON THE VALUE OF THE SOUL
1. The human soul bears the stamp of nobility. God created the universe with one word. "Let it be made," He said, and it was made. But for the creation of man the Holy Trinity holds, as it were, a consultation: "Let us make man to Our own image and likeness" (Gen 1:26). And according to His image and likeness God created man. "Remember, O man," St. Bernard cries out, "your dignity!" Your soul is the image of God. Therefore the Holy Spirit warns us: "Keep your soul and give it honor according to its desert" (Eccli 10:31). Do not let material baubles dim the image of God that is in you,, nor let the evil spirit mar it. -- Have you preserved this image in yourself?
2. The soul has been bought at a great price. Jesus Christ came down from heaven, led a poor life here on earth for 33 years, endured untold pains, and finally shed His precious blood on the cross to redeem the souls of men. The church reminds us of this when she teaches us to pray in the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus: "Through Thy labors, through Thy fainting and weariness, through Thy agony and passion, through Thy cross and dereliction, deliver us, O Jesus!" But if Jesus did so much to save the souls of men, what sacrifice can be too great in our effort to save our souls? Ought we not, according to the admonition of the Apostle (Heb 12:4), strive against sin even unto blood?
3. The value of the soul surpasses that of all created things. Christ said: "What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?" (Matt 16:26). The soul outweighs all the things of earth, all treasures, honors, riches. Blessed John strove for a correct appreciation of material things, which are valueless when compared with our immortal souls. -- Have you always manifested this correct appreciation and given evidence of it in your action?
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O God, who did marvelously create human beings, and still more marvelously redeem them, grant us Thy grace that with the knowledge Thou has given us, we may resist sinful desires and deserve to attain eternal bliss. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.[from: The Franciscan Book Of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm., © 1959 Franciscan Herald Press]Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B
Readings
Book of Amos 7:12 Amatzyah also said to ‘Amos, “Go away, seer! Go back to the land of Y’hudah! Earn your living there; and prophesy there; 13 but don’t prophesy any more at Beit-El; for this is the king’s sanctuary, a royal temple.”
14 ‘Amos gave this answer to Amatzyah: “I am not trained as a prophet, and I’m not one of the guild prophets — I own sheep and grow figs. 15 But Adonai took me away from following the flock, and Adonai said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Isra’el.’
Psalms 85:9 (8) I am listening. What will God, Adonai, say?
For he will speak peace to his people,
to his holy ones —
but only if they don’t relapse into folly.
10 (9) His salvation is near for those who fear him,
so that glory will be in our land.
11 (10) Grace and truth have met together;
justice and peace have kissed each other.
12 (11) Truth springs up from the earth,
and justice looks down from heaven.
13 (12) Adonai will also grant prosperity;
our land will yield its harvest.
14 (13) Justice will walk before him
and make his footsteps a path.
Letter to the Ephesians 1:3 Praised be Adonai, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In the Messiah he chose us in love before the creation of the universe to be holy and without defect in his presence. 5 He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be his sons — in keeping with his pleasure and purpose — 6 so that we would bring him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace he gave us through the Beloved One.
Commentary of the day:
7 In union with him, through the shedding of his blood, we are set free — our sins are forgiven; this accords with the wealth of the grace 8 he has lavished on us. In all his wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us his secret plan, which by his own will he designed beforehand in connection with the Messiah 10 and will put into effect when the time is ripe — his plan to place everything in heaven and on earth under the Messiah’s headship.
11 Also in union with him we were given an inheritance, we who were picked in advance according to the purpose of the One who effects everything in keeping with the decision of his will, 12 so that we who earlier had put our hope in the Messiah would bring him praise commensurate with his glory.
13 Furthermore, you who heard the message of the truth, the Good News offering you deliverance, and put your trust in the Messiah were sealed by him with the promised Ruach HaKodesh, 14 who guarantees our inheritance until we come into possession of it and thus bring him praise commensurate with his glory.
Holy Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah according to Saint Mark 6:7 Yeshua summoned the Twelve and started sending them out in pairs, giving them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them, “Take nothing for your trip except a walking stick — no bread, no pack, no money in your belt. 9 Wear shoes but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place; 11 and if the people of some place will not welcome you, and they refuse to hear you, then, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a warning to them.”
12 So they set out and preached that people should turn from sin to God, 13 they expelled many demons, and they anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year BCommentary of the day:
Saint John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Message for the 42nd World Day of prayer for vocations 17/04/2005 (© copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana)
"He began to send them out"
"He began to send them out"
"He began to send them out"
Jesus says to Peter: "Duc in altum - Put out into the deep" (Lk 5,4). "Peter and the first companions trusted Christ's words and cast their nets"... Those who open their hearts to Christ will not only understand the mystery of their own existence, but also that of their own vocation; they will bear the abundant fruit of grace... Living the Gospel without adding to it, these Christians become always increasingly capable of loving in the way that Christ loved, and welcome the exhortation of Christ: "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5,48). They will commit themselves to persevering in unity with their brothers and sisters within the communion of the Church, and will place themselves at the service of the new evangelization, to proclaim and bear witness to the wonderful truth of the saving love of God.
Dear adolescents and young people, it is to you in a particular way that I renew the invitation of Christ to "put out into the deep"... Trust Christ; listen attentively to his teachings, fix your eyes on his face, persevere in listening to his Word. Allow Him to focus your search and your aspirations, all your ideals and the desires of your heart... I think at the same time of the words which Mary, his Mother, addressed to the servants at Cana in Galilee: "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2,5). Dear young people, Christ is asking you to "put out into the deep" and the Virgin Mary is encouraging you not to hesitate in following Him. May an ardent prayer sustained by the motherly intercession of Mary, rise from every corner of the earth, to the heavenly Father to obtain "labourers for his harvest" (Mt 9,38):
Jesus, Son of God,
in whom the fullness of the Divinity dwells,
You call all the baptized to " put out into the deep",
taking the path that leads to holiness.
Waken in the hearts of young people the desire
to be witnesses in the world of today
to the power of your love.
Fill them with your Spirit of fortitude and prudence,
so that they may be able to discover the full truth
about themselves and their own vocation.
Our Saviour,
sent by the Father to reveal His merciful love,
give to your Church the gift
of young people who are ready to put out into the deep,
to be the sign among their brothers
of Your presence which renews and saves.
Holy Virgin, Mother of the Redeemer,
sure guide on the way towards God and towards neighbour,
You who pondered his word in the depth of your heart,
sustain with your motherly intercession
our families and our ecclesial communities,
so that they may help adolescents and young people
to answer generously the call of the Lord.
Amen.
____________________________Dear adolescents and young people, it is to you in a particular way that I renew the invitation of Christ to "put out into the deep"... Trust Christ; listen attentively to his teachings, fix your eyes on his face, persevere in listening to his Word. Allow Him to focus your search and your aspirations, all your ideals and the desires of your heart... I think at the same time of the words which Mary, his Mother, addressed to the servants at Cana in Galilee: "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2,5). Dear young people, Christ is asking you to "put out into the deep" and the Virgin Mary is encouraging you not to hesitate in following Him. May an ardent prayer sustained by the motherly intercession of Mary, rise from every corner of the earth, to the heavenly Father to obtain "labourers for his harvest" (Mt 9,38):
Jesus, Son of God,
in whom the fullness of the Divinity dwells,
You call all the baptized to " put out into the deep",
taking the path that leads to holiness.
Waken in the hearts of young people the desire
to be witnesses in the world of today
to the power of your love.
Fill them with your Spirit of fortitude and prudence,
so that they may be able to discover the full truth
about themselves and their own vocation.
Our Saviour,
sent by the Father to reveal His merciful love,
give to your Church the gift
of young people who are ready to put out into the deep,
to be the sign among their brothers
of Your presence which renews and saves.
Holy Virgin, Mother of the Redeemer,
sure guide on the way towards God and towards neighbour,
You who pondered his word in the depth of your heart,
sustain with your motherly intercession
our families and our ecclesial communities,
so that they may help adolescents and young people
to answer generously the call of the Lord.
Amen.
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