Category: Member Posts
Moved By Mercy – 31st Sunday in Kingdomtide ~ Br. Michael Marshall, Novice
There is a song by Matthew West titled, “Moved By Mercy” in which some lyrics are applicable to today’s readings. In the song, Matthew West coveys that there is a dialogue between a young woman and Jesus, and he tells her that things of the past no longer have to haunt her because she has reached out and asked for mercy. Her plea is stated as follows:
“Take me far away now
From this broken place now
Somewhere they can’t hurt me
I wanna be moved by mercy
Jesus, I can’t see You
I just know I need You
Help me start a new life
Let my heart be moved by mercy.”
Jesus responds by saying:
All the hurt that you hide behind that door
I’m not gonna let it hurt you anymore.
And so later in the song the woman says:
“For so long I felt so unworthy.”
Jesus again responds with:
“I’m the one who began a good work in you
And I’m the one who is gonna see it through,
I’ll see you through.”
As well as:
“But in My arms all your shame is moved by mercy
So here I stand, a child undeserving
Take My hand and let your heart
Be moved by mercy.”
Lyrics: Matthew West
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
We see in the Reading from the Book of Wisdom that the author writes:
“But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things! Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!”
And we see in the Gospel that Jesus looks up at Zacchaeus because he wants to establish a relationship while staying in his home. Zacchaeus is a tax collector, who the town’s people see as a sinful person. Even though it is not explicitly stated in the Gospel Reading, we understand that this relationship has more to do with ministry rather than needing a place to stay while in Jericho. As the town’s people are upset because Jesus wants to stay in Zacchaeus’ home, Zacchaeus understands this purpose; which again is not explicitly stated. Zacchaeus then asks for mercy for what he has committed against God and toward the town’s people by saying:
“Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”
And Jesus shows mercy toward Zacchaeus by saying: “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
How do the story of the young woman and the Readings apply to us??? Well, it is quite simple and straightforward! Unlike Jesus, we were born into the world not free of sin. That does not mean we sin the minute we come out of our mother’s womb, but rather we sometimes get caught up in things of this world which go against God. We follow the bad example of others, even if we know it is wrong. That is simply part of being human, as much as our baptism has washed away our sins. But when we do sin, we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to ask for forgiveness. But ultimately what this sermon is about is how we need to truly change our ways and not just ask for mercy, but to follow through with living a pure and holy life after asking for mercy. Just because we ask for mercy, and receive it, does not mean we can go on living with the mentality of “Well, God will forgive me” and return to our old ways. Because we asked for mercy, and we have been granted that mercy, we must strive to not turn back. The priest even says to us, “Your sins have been pardoned, and therefore go forth and sin no more.”
Father, when we ask for mercy, may we truly remember to truly live a holy and pure life because we asked for the mercy. This we ask through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
What’s Your Passion? The Feast of Sts Simon and Jude ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
Today’s Holy Gospel reading : LK 6:12-16
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Our Lord Jesus Christ spent all night in prayer to his Father as he knew he was about to undertake the vast task of choosing the Apostles who would be the ones to deliver his Holy Word to the world and this was obviously far from an easy task. Today, we come together to celebrate the Feast day of two of these Apostles that our Lord chose, namely that of St. Simon (called the Zealot) and of St. Judas (the son of James who we also call St. Jude). The disciples were guaranteed to fall out with each other because they were such different characters.
Although the Holy scriptures don’t really tell us about Simon and Jude, we should remember that it does say quite a lot about the disciples as a group, and that includes Simon and Jude. So we can say that Jesus chose them to be his disciples after a night in prayer and they responded readily, allowing their lives to be turned upside down; they lived with Jesus for three years; they saw the miracles; they heard his teaching; they had their moments of confusion and their moments of wonder; they fled when Jesus was arrested; they were present in the upper room when he revealed himself as risen from the dead; they saw him ascend into heaven; they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; they faced persecution from the religious authorities; they became leaders in the early church in Jerusalem.
Today’s gospel scripture had some difficult things to say about what the disciples were to face as a result of their love of Jesus: they would be hated and they would be persecuted for his sake. That was certainly true of Simon and John. Jesus describes them in the gospel as people who were to testify in the power of the Holy Spirit because were with him from the beginning of his public ministry.
Tradition tells us that both Simon and Jude ended up in Persia where they were martyred around AD 65, Simon (gruesomely) was sawn in two.
So what are we passionate about within our lives? Most of us want to be faithful to God day by day and who have things about which we are passionate. Our faith should be our one and main passion. In the midst of ordinary life, what is God calling us to do with our passions? Are we willing to follow Simon and Jude in forsaking everything for the sake of the gospel? That affects decisions about our whole lives: careers, money, time. Students and young people: what are we going to do with our lives? What gifts and passions has God given to each of us that we can use to proclaim the gospel? I’m a strong believer that God works with rather than against our gifts, so if we have skills and interests these should be used to serve God. But God opens up all sorts of unexpected doors, as he did for Simon and Jude who probably never dreamed of going beyond their local area. So we should ask ourselves how we can offer our gifts and passions to God in his service. For those of us who have made decisions that shape our lives, are we open to God asking us, even late in life, to do something new?
Following his death, St. Jude’s body was brought to Rome and left in a crypt in St. Peter’s Basilica. Today his bones can be found in the left transept of St. Peter’s Basilica under the main altar of St. Joseph in a tomb he shares with the remains of the apostle Simon the Zealot.
Pilgrims came to St. Jude’s grave to pray and many reported a powerful intercession, leading to the title, “The Saint for the Hopeless and the Despaired.” Two Saints, St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Bernard, had visions from God asking them to accept St. Jude as “The Patron Saint of the Impossible.”
Humble Grace ~ The Rev. Dcn. Dollie Wilkinson, OPI
As I read through this week’s Bible readings, I am reminded of an old saying my Grandmother would quote, “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). In studying the following passages, we are reminded that “Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). Those whom He calls, will not only be saved, but shall also carry His message to the rest of the people, for in their meekness and humbleness, they shall be rewarded. In reading Paul’s letter to Timothy hints at this fact. That he has endured persecutions of all kinds that have generated wear and tear on his body, mind and soul, traipsing all over the Roman world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul has had many encounters defending the gospel but he realizes that the race was all worth it. He says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
“As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Though Paul did everything required of him, all for the glory of Jesus Christ, we are cautioned by the following parable to guard ourselves against boastfulness.
Luke 18:9-14
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” “
We are reminded here that it is not they who seemingly flaunt their righteousness that God calls, but those who may at first appear to be the least deserving of us to receive God’s blessing and grace. “ Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. “ (Joel 2:28-29).
In the parable as told in Luke, we are cautioned to always remember that though we may follow the rules set down by man, or by a certain Church, or even our local pastor, it is no guarantee that we will have a place in Heaven. It is what is truly in our heart, whether we be saint or sinner, prostitute or preacher, homeless vagrant or humble Sister, that assures us the blessings and grace of our loving Father.
Do It Anyway: The Feast of St. Luke ~ Br. Michael Marshall, Novice
There are moments in our lives when our boss entrusts us with a new task which has not been part of our ordinary job duties. Because this task is new to us, it may seem overwhelming at first and we just want to throw our hands up in the air and tell our boss it cannot be done. And there may be times when we demand recognition for taking on the task and expect praise for putting effort into actually accomplishing what was asked of us; and when we do not receive recognition and praise, it leaves us feeling discouraged. But it is important to press on and do our jobs well regardless because that is our responsibility. It might sound a little strange, but being and living as a fully active Christian is much like our work environment. We can see this being the case in early Christianity through the Readings for today.
We see in the Gospel, that Jesus is commissioning his disciples to go out and preach the Good News. Jesus’ instructions indicate that the task will not be easy, and that not everyone will be receptive of the message; yet still put forth the effort at all cost, giving adequate attention to each household. Imaging the disciples thinking about what has just been entrusted to them; some might have been excited, while others might have felt a little hesitant. Yet they all did it!
In Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, we read about Paul’s lamenting of feeling abandoned by his peers, other than Luke, and pleading to Timothy to bring other disciples for the mission to the Gentiles. Paul also asks Timothy to bring a cloak and papyrus rolls – important items to continue to carry out the mission entrusted to the disciples. As Paul continues to write to Timothy, he states that he has not thrown his hands up in the air, and knows he has been able to press on to fulfill the mission because of the guidance of the Lord.
So… How does this apply to us today??? Scripture is not pertinent to only a specific period in time, but rather is very relevant for ALL generations. Jesus’ Commissioning was not only for his direct disciples, but is also directed toward us. We may not be walking on foot from town to town and entering houses like the early Christian disciples did, but we are to reach out and preach the Good News. But, how do we do this if we do not enter a household??? This task is as simple as the wonderful saying by Saint Francis of Assisi – “Preach the Gospel always, when necessary use words.” It is as simple as loving our neighbor speak or paying it forward at a restaurant, but we must never be shy to speak of Jesus when it deems necessary. There are instances in which we want to mind our “P’s and Q’s” because we might think it is not our place to remind someone of WWJD, BUT sometimes we have to verbally preach! It might fall upon deaf ears, yet it just might also hit home with some people, so we need to keep pressing on and do our job as our boss has asked of us.
Father, may we understand that we have been asked of a great task as followers of Jesus, regardless of how difficult the task is. He has commissioned us, just as he commissioned his disciples, to preach the Good News. Let us answer this call. This we ask through Christ, Our Lord. Amen!
Prayer: What’s the Use? ~ Br. Chip Noon, Novice
Brothers and sisters, once again on this Sunday, the 29th of Kingdomtide, we are faced with the old question: Does God manifest his power to save us and protect us against the foe and the sorrowful times?
There are some who think God can actually interject his will to our benefit. They think that if we follow Scripture, we will be showered with riches and advancement. They pin their hopes on this passage: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (TNIV, Jeremiah 29:11) In the United States today there are congregations who use this idea as a way to distinguish between the “good” and the “bad” people of the world…the deserving and the undeserving.
But look at the first reading from Exodus. God directly intervened to help the Israelites against the Amalekites. As long as Moses held up his arm, showing faith in God, then the battle went to the armies of Israel. Believe this, do this, act thusly and you will win and prosper. Isn’t that proof of our power to ask God for help and thus receive it?
But Jesus denied that wealth was a sign of God’s favor or that poverty is God’s punishment of sin. Here is what Luke wrote:
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
But then, in today’s Gospel we read that Jesus said,
The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
And as long as Moses kept his hand raised, the Israelites won.
And the Psalm says, “The Lord will guard your coming and going, both now and forever.”
And Paul says, “so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Well, what are we to believe then? Here it is, written in both the Old and New Testaments. If we believe strongly enough, if we pray hard enough, if we do all we are taught from Scripture, then we will succeed.
But didn’t Jesus pray for the cup to be taken from him? Didn’t the Israelites pray for the Babylonians to flee away from them? Didn’t the Jews pray that the Nazis would leave them in peace?
I think we should think again of the two lines we say in the Alleluia today:
- Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
Discerning reflections and thoughts of the heart.
- Alleluia, alleluia.
And what then is prayer? Prayer is out act of providing a place in the heart for reflections and thoughts of the word of God. Prayer is for and about us. Prayer is our way of asking God to keep us humble, open, compassionate, and loving. And to be aware, because sometimes our prayers are answered in one way while we are looking the other way.
What does God want from us? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these”
Simple.
Simple.
And yet so difficult.
Let us pray.
Lord, help us to keep our arms raised in supplication. Help us to pray without ceasing. Help us to look for your grace in everything we do, say, or think. And help us to heed your word to love you and love one another.
Amen.
In God’s Hands: St. Teresa of Avila ~ Br. Chip Noon, Novice
Today is the memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, also known as St. Teresa of Jesus.
Representing the mystical branch of Christianity, St. Teresa embodied and taught that the concept of divine grace is bestowed as a gift. Nothing we do can earn this gift. It is freely given by God.
But she also taught and wrote about being prepared for that gift. And it is in her preparation for God’s blessing that we see her “works”, if we may call them such.
Throughout her teachings, St. Teresa presented the ascent of the soul to God in four stages: 1. Devotion of Heart, devout concentration and contemplation. 2. Devotion of Peace, surrendering to God all our being and all our thought in quiet prayer. 3. Devotion of Union, an ecstatic state of further absorption in God, or rapture. 4. Devotion of Ecstasy, wherein all of our senses and mental faculties are completely entranced by the love of God.
While a true contemplative, St. Teresa was a tireless reformer, teacher, writer, and founder of Carmelite monasteries. So she was out and about, without shoes since she was a discalced religious, working fervently for the unification of the Order and to establish as many houses as she could. She also lived in extreme poverty, renounced property, and practiced flagellation.
In today’s first reading, St. Paul is giving thanks for his brothers and sisters in Ephesus who have shown him their faith in Jesus. And Paul prays that they will receive from God a spirit of wisdom and knowledge of him. This is essentially St. Teresa’s first stage that they are in and Paul is praying for their advancement to a higher level.
The Psalm and the Gospel may be seen as the beginnings of the second stage, the Devotion of Peace, essentially a surrendering. Jesus tells us that when faced with having to defend our beliefs, we need only surrender to the Holy Spirit who will teach us at that moment what we should say.
Let me go back to the idea of preparation.
In another of St. Teresa’s works, The Interior Castle, the saint is recording for us the path to mystical union with God. Like St. Ignatius of Loyola, she is giving us a prescription to follow, in an orderly way, so that we may receive the full majesty of God’s grace and glory. These exercises, as St. Ignatius called them, are work we must do to have the strength to move into the realm of ecstasy.
Yet, as in the readings, and as St. Teresa said time and again, we cannot “earn” God’s grace; it is always freely given. We must only be ready to receive it.
Isn’t this always the conundrum? So embedded in our minds and psyches is the notion that we must earn our daily bread, we must work hard to get ahead, we must never give up, so embedded is this that it seems that all good things come only after struggle and toil. This “valley of tears” is only something to be overcome, to be slogged through, to be endured.
Of course it is. This is real life!
But what Jesus and St. Teresa and all our spiritual teachers are telling us is that no matter how hard we struggle, we can rest easy in the knowledge that we are in God’s hands. And what they are suggesting is that we put ourselves in grace’s way. We pray, we contemplate, we study, we patiently wait, we open the eyes of our hearts that we may be enlightened, as Paul says in the Reading.
And so that is what our daily prayers are. That is what our weekly reading of The Rule does. That is why we have our daily studies and Liturgy to contemplate so that we are prepared. And as Paul says to the Thessalonians, “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
Let us pray. Lord, give us the courage to prepare for your presence, give us the stamina to exercise our souls for the day of your coming, and give us the time and the peace to be ready for the manifold distribution of your gifts. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
The Broken Ones ~ The Rev. Dcn. Scott Brown, OPI
Today’s Gospel is Luke 17, 11-19
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers,[a] who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
Jesus heals those who ask. He picks us up when we are down, lifts our spirits when we are depressed and takes away our scars. We are all broken in one way or another; we are all in need of healing of one kind or another; and we are all in need of love and compassion. This is what Jesus will do for you if you only ask him.
Jesus heals all of the lepers who asked him, but only one of them returned to thank him for what he had done for him. Why did the other nine not return to thank Jesus? That may be one of the mysteries we can only have answered when we actually meet Jesus. My thoughts are this: the other nine were so overjoyed to be healed and cleansed that they didn’t see the need to thank the Lord for what he had done for them, or possibly they were so overcome with glee and joy they wanted to rush to their homes and show them what had happened. Regardless of their reasons there was one who acknowledged what Jesus had done for him and felt the need to acknowledge and praise Him for his outpouring of love towards him. We need to keep this in mind and thank and praise Jesus for the blessings he shows to us every day. When your checking account is empty and you get that surprise check in the mail that will carry you through to the next payday, when you are depressed and feeling all alone in the world, an old friend calls you without warning, when your boss gives you a raise at work because you put in that little bit of extra effort on a project; these are all blessings that we need to be thankful for and praise our Lord for his bountiful love and compassion. Our healings may not be as profound as those of the lepers, but we are all blessed and healed one way or another on a daily basis. Praise him and thank him for every little blessing you receive.
Lord in your mercy hear the prayers of the sick, depressed, poor, and anyone who needs your blessings in any way. Let us truly know where our bounties come from and acknowledge those bounties and blessings as yours. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary ~ Mark Patrick, Aspirant
Today the Church honors the Blessed Mother of Our Lord under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. This great feast, up until the 16th century, was a day to honor Our Lady of Victory. The feast was changed to Our Lady of the Rosary by Pope St. Pius V following a naval victory which helped to secure Europe against the invasion of the Muslim Turks. Pius attributed that great victory of the “Catholic Powers” – Genoa, Spain, and the Papal States – to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was invoked that day by a great campaign across the whole of Europe to pray the Rosary for the cause. Crew members on more than 200 ships prayed the Rosary to prepare for the battle, and Christians across the European continent joined in. The significance of the title of Our Lady of the Rosary is a very important one, as it reminds us Christians of the strength and great blessing we are given in the recitation of the Rosary. It reminds us that Our Lady is ever interceding on our behalf to her Son. That she is also known as Our Lady of Victory is also important for us, as it reminds us that through her intercession, Our Lady helps us to have victory over the battles of our lives.
The Rosary is especially important to us as Dominicans. Tradition holds that, in the year 1214 Saint Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, was in anguish because he was failing in his attempt to convert the Albigensian Cathar heretics. St. Dominic attributed this to the deepness and gravity of sinfulness of the heretics and the poor example of Catholics. He went alone in to the forest and wept and prayed continuously for three days to appease the anger of Almighty God. He flogged his body and scourged his flesh. From the fasting, pain, and exhaustion, he passed in to a coma.
Dominic experienced an apparition of Blessed Mother Mary while in the coma, which forever links Saint Dominic and the Rosary. The Immaculate Mary with three angels appeared and asked St. Dominic, “Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?” Dominic’s response was Blessed Mary knew better than he because she is a part of our salvation.
Mary responded, “I want you to know that, in this kind of warfare, the battering ram has always been the Angelic Psalter* which is the foundation stone of the New Testament. Therefore if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter.”
Shortly after this apparition he preached the Holy Rosary to the unconverted Albigenisan heretics. To modify the Paternoster (150 Our Father’s) and in compliance with the instruction in the apparition, the design of the Saint Dominic Rosary came in to being. He set apart fifteen mysteries of the rosary, grouped them in to three sets of five decades each.
In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus is confronted by the crowd who said that he was casting out demons by demonic works. Jesus responds by saying “If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” He states that one who is strong and well prepared can guard his own house, and he then goes on to tell a parable, a story to his disciples, about the importance of remaining strong against attack and of maintaining strength of heart and of faith, in order to resist things that are evil. He says that when an unclean spirit is cast out, it comes back ever stronger than before, and even brings friends with it, “and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
How true it is that sometimes we tend to feel as though just when we overcome some ordeal, whether it be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, and we are relieved when it is over, and we let down our guard, that something yet worse and yet stronger over us takes hold and starts to wreak its own havoc within us or in our life situation. We become unprepared because we have stopped praying, stopped seeking the will of God, stopped listening to His Word and direction for our lives.
What a great resource that we have in the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Victory to strengthen us, to intercede for us on our behalf. We have this blessing in the prayer of the Rosary, an invaluable tool and weapon in our fight against evil in the world and beyond it. When I was a Roman Catholic seminarian, a gentleman once told us seminarians as we were about to pray the Rosary, “Gentleman, get out your weapons. It’s time to pray the Rosary.” The fight we fight is truly spiritual, and the Rosary and our Blessed Mother help to give us the strength to fight without weakness.
Let us trust in the Lord, and talk to Our Mother, who leads us to her Son. Let us allow her to pray for our strength, that our spiritual armor might be built up for the building up of the Kingdom of God, and that we might fight the assault of the enemy. Amen.
Living the Life of Faith ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
Gospel reading: Luke 17:5-10
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the disciples asking Jesus to increase their faith. I am sure most of us at some point in our lives have asked similarly.
If I had only more faith, we say if things are difficult in our lives. We say things such as, “if only I had more faith, maybe that person wouldn’t have got Ill, or wouldn’t have died” or “if I had more faith, I wouldn’t suffer like this or have that in my life, or I would be a better person”. I admit, there have been times when I have thought exactly as the disciples did in today’s Gospel reading.
However, living by faith is not something that comes in sizes or in measurable quantities. It is not a bargaining chip that we can use to gain favour or our own personal wants from God.
Faith is a true loving relationship that we have with Our Lord and is something which we must live fully each and every day of our lives. Living a faithful life does not mean that we will not suffer hardships and pain within our lives. The righteous are not exempt from suffering, just because a person may be ill or poor does not make them a sinner. We must not confuse wealth with approval of God or illness with sin (see Matt 9:21=22 and Jn 9:2=3).
It is living as one with God in all our daily words and deeds and doing it to our utmost with all that we are. Living a faithful life doesn’t even mean that we have to always agree with everything that our Lord tells us, but that out of love we learn to live as one to the best of our ability.
A good example is if we look at a good marriage or partnership, the two out of love for each other, live as one, they are faithful to each other in all things even if they may not always agree with each other.
Living a faithful life, is living to the best of our ability as Our Lord would live, we are all one in Christ and should strive to live this fully within our daily lives.
It is Loving each other, accepting each other and forgiving each other. It is walking with each other on this path of life and helping our brothers and sisters who stumble along the way.
We know that God will only do what is good for us as his children and that he has plans only for our good as the following scriptures clearly tell us:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28).
For I know the plans I have for you” declares the LORD, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer 29:11).
A true example of living the life of faith can clearly be seen in the story of Job. The story of the life of Job is one of faith, endurance, and of patience winning out against amazing odds.
Job was subjected to three tests=the first was to accept without sinning, the loss of his possessions and offspring (Job 1:6=22). The second was to endure the destruction of his health without blaming anything on God (Job 2:1=10). The third test was to endure false accusation. Most people would respond to the trials of Job by blaming these evils on God’s inaction, but Job showed humility in the sight of God. He tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell down and worshipped God and throughout all his trials Job never resorted to sinning against God. Job’s life and his faith is an excellent example to all of us as Christians.
Thank You, Lord, for the measure of faith You have given me. I refuse to be moved by outward circumstances, but only by what Your Word says. I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and I will not lean upon my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Thank You for saving me! Ephesians 2:8 says, “it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgement and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God…”. All of the precious gifts You have given me: salvation, healing, prosperity, etc., are connected to my faith, and it’s impossible to please You without it. I will keep Your commandments, walk in love, stay in the Word and live by faith!
The Feast of the Archangels
The liturgy celebrates the feast of these three archangels who are venerated in the tradition of the Church. Of the seven archangels, only three are named in Scripture. Michael (Who is like God?) was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His greeting to the Virgin, “Hail, full of grace,” is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey.
Angels are pure, created spirits. The name angel means servant or messenger of God. Angels are celestial or heavenly beings, on a higher order than human beings. Angels have no bodies and do not depend on matter for their existence or activity. They are distinct from saints, which men can become. Angels have intellect and will, and are immortal. They are a vast multitude, but each is an individual person. Archangels are one of the nine choirs of angels listed in the Bible. In ascending order, the choirs or classes are 1) Angels, 2) Archangels, 3) Principalities, 4) Powers, 5) Virtues, 6) Dominations, 7) Thrones, 8) Cherubim, and 9) Seraphim.
St. Michael
The name of the archangel Michael means, in Hebrew, who is like unto God? and he is also known as “the prince of the heavenly host.” He is usually pictured as a strong warrior, dressed in armor and wearing sandals. St. Michael the Archangel is mentioned more than any other angel in the Bible. His name appears in Scripture four times, twice in the Book of Daniel, and once each in the Epistle of St. Jude and the Book of Revelation. From Revelation we learn of the battle in heaven, with St. Michael and his angels combatting Lucifer and the other fallen angels (or devils). We invoke St. Michael to help us in our fight against Satan; to rescue souls from Satan, especially at the hour of death; to be the champion of the Jews in the Old Testament and now Christians; and to bring souls to judgment.
This day is referred to as “Michaelmas” in many countries and is also one of the harvest feast days. In England this is one of the “quarter days”, which was marked by hiring servants, electing magistrates, and beginning of legal and university terms. This day also marks the opening of the deer and other large game hunting season. In some parts of Europe, especially Germany, Denmark, and Austria, a special wine called “Saint Michael’s Love” (Michelsminne) is drunk on this day. The foods for this day vary depending on nationality. In the British Isles, for example, goose was the traditional meal for Michaelmas, eaten for prosperity, France has waffles or Gaufres and the traditional fare in Scotland used to be St. Michael’s Bannock (Struan Micheil) — a large, scone-like cake. In Italy, gnocchi is the traditional fare.
Patron: Against temptations; against powers of evil; artists; bakers; bankers; battle; boatmen; cemeteries; coopers; endangered children; dying; Emergency Medical Technicians; fencing; grocers; hatmakers; holy death; knights; mariners; mountaineers; paramedics; paratroopers; police officers; radiologists; sailors; the sick; security forces; soldiers; against storms at sea; swordsmiths; those in need of protection; Brussels, Belgium; Caltanissett, Sicily; Cornwall, England; Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee Florida; England; Germany; Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama; Papua, New Guinea; Puebla, Mexico; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Sibenik, Croatia; Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington; Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Symbols: Angel with wings; dressed in armour; lance and shield; scales; shown weighing souls; millstone; piercing dragon or devil; banner charged with a dove; symbolic colors orange or gold.
Prayer: Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits, who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
St. Gabriel
St. Gabriel’s name means “God is my strength”. Biblically he appears three times as a messenger. He had been sent to Daniel to explain a vision concerning the Messiah. He appeared to Zachary when he was offering incense in the Temple, to foretell the birth of his son, St. John the Baptist. St. Gabriel is most known as the angel chosen by God to be the messenger of the Annunciation, to announce to mankind the mystery of the Incarnation.
The angel’s salutation to our Lady, so simple and yet so full of meaning, Hail Mary, full of grace, has become the constant and familiar prayer of all Christian people.
Patron: Ambassadors; broadcasting; childbirth; clergy; communications; diplomats; messengers; philatelists; postal workers; public relations; radio workers; secular clergy; stamp collectors; telecommunications; Portugal; Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington.
Symbols: Archangel; sceptre and lily; MR or AM shield; lantern; mirror; olive branch; scroll with words Ave Maria Gratia Plena; Resurrection trumpet; shield; spear; lily; symbolic colors, silver or blue.
Prayer to St. Gabriel:
O Blessed Archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee, do thou intercede for us at the throne of divine Mercy in our present necessities, that as thou didst announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation, so through thy prayers and patronage in heaven we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the praise of God forever in the land of the living. Amen.
St. Raphael
Our knowledge of the Archangel Raphael comes to us from the book of Tobit. His mission as wonderful healer and fellow traveller with the youthful Tobias has caused him to be invoked for journeys and at critical moments in life. Tradition also holds that Raphael is the angel that stirred the waters at the healing sheep pool in Bethesda. His name means “God has healed”.
Patron: Blind; bodily ills; counselors; druggists; eye problems; guardian angels; happy meetings; healers; health inspectors; health technicians; love; lovers; mental illness; nurses; pharmacists; physicians; shepherds; against sickness; therapists; travellers; young people; young people leaving home for the first time; Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa; Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington.
Symbols: Staff; wallet and fish; staff and gourd; archangel; young man carrying a staff; young man carrying a fish; walking with Tobias; holding a bottle or flask; symbolic colors, gray or yellow.
Prayer to St. Gabriel:
O Raphael, lead us towards those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us! Raphael, Angel of happy meetings, lead us by the hand towards those we are looking for! May all our movements, all their movements, be guided by your light and transfigured by your Joy.
Angel guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of earth, we feel the need of calling to you and of pleading for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the province of Joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our country.
Remember the weak, you who are strong–you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a land that is always peaceful, always serene, and bright with the resplendent glory of God.
Amen.
Collect: O God, who dispose in marvelous order ministries both angelic and human, graciously grant that our life on earth may be defended by those who watch over us as they minister perpetually to you in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
The Order of Preachers, Independent 
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