Trial and Temptation
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – WEEK II
CANTICLE OF MARY – Antiphon “Of what uses is it to a man to gain the whole world
16 “Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” ~ James 1:16-17 King James Version (KJV)
Proclaim my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus the salvation of the whole world, the lifting up of sinners to a new life without sin, and the crushed hearts of God’s children to be made whole! Remember that this life is temporary but our sin is everlasting without God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. Know that when we sin it is not just against those we have sinned against, but a greater sin has been transgressed against God the Father, Himself!
Reflection
I open with this today my brothers and sisters because great sin has been committed yet again within the Catholic Clergy in my lifetime! In not so many years from many protected by their power and position against the most innocent and vulnerable, our children have another horrifying sex scandal broken into public knowledge and met with public outrage and contempt – rightfully so! I can not tell you how upsetting and devastating this is as both a teacher within the Catholic School System and as a Catholic! I can not tell you how deeply troubling yet again the Catholic Church must be made to deal with sexual misconduct against children! I must reflect on how past lessons of 2002 – Los Angeles, have just not been learned nor heeded but rather hidden even deeper in darkness! Solely with the intent to cover up and not to care not one ounce for the victims! Logically speaking now we must say as a congregation that this sort of sexual abuse is not an isolated instance in time but rather continues to spread throughout every Archdiocese worldwide. On that note, I must also remind all of you, my brothers and sisters, that not every Priest or Deacon is guilty of such pervasive behavior and not every Clergyman is guilty of such sins. I also want to thank all the Priests who have written and who have stated flatly under no certain terms that this destructive conduct will not be allowed to continue within any branch or order of the Catholic Church! The power to stop this crime is in the Church Leadership to not just speak out but to bring these offenses to light and allow the Criminal Justice System to do its job! In this way, Social Justice will finally be practiced for all to see. In this way alone can the moral high ground of the Church be won back and truly be respected and revered.
In researching this week’s readings I came across something that Jesus had said which I feel is very apropos to this moment in time.
17 “Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible except that offenses will come. But woe to him through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he was thrown into the sea than to offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive him.” ~ Luke 17:1-3 Modern English Version (MEV)
Last week was about the tough truth of Jesus’s Divinity, as he proclaimed to the masses “I am the bread- living bread!” (John 6:48) The scripture tells us that many devout disciples of Christ could not understand this and turned and walked away to pick back up their secular lives. To this, I say to you my brothers and sisters do not follow anyone here on this earth who would turn their back on Christ! Do not trust with your immortal soul fallible people who exhibit sinful ways and would lead you away from God. Heed well what Jesus taught about the evils which come from within!
21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, 22 theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” ~ Mark 7:21-25 Modern English Version (MEV)
Likewise, my brothers and sisters know well that God the Father has given you His divine law
4 “So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you.” ~ Deuteronomy 4:1-8 New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)
The God Father with Angels AUTHOR Bernardino Luini DATE 1509 – 1510.
Conclusion
Do not just honor Christ with our lips (Mark 7:6), but rather honor Christ with our actions; be doers! (James 1:22). Turn from your sin and put down your anger or contempt for righteousness is not found there, (James 1:21). Instead
LET US PRAY
PRAYER OF CONTRITION AND RECONCILIATION
For all the victims of Sexual Misconduct within the Catholic Church, we all pray: (Month of September 2018)
Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
Reconciliation
Come, Holy Spirit into my soul. Enlighten my mind that I may know the sins I ought to confess, and grant me, Your grace
In Jesus’ Name and with the help of the Holy Spirit, Amen, Alleluia!
A Prayer of Repentance
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him after he had gone
Psalm
51 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just [a]when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part, You will make
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
NEED HELP OR ENCOURAGEMENT?
If you would like to receive ongoing encouragement, to help you stay focused, and/or need some guidance in where to look for motivational scriptures in the bible then feel free to email me at listeningfaithfullyblog@gmail.com with your request. Remember you’re never alone.
May the Lord bless you, protect you from all evil and bring you to everlasting life.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saint Joseph, Pray for us. ~ Sancte Ioseph – ‘ora pro
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