v It could have been a Memorial Mass for the Saint of the Day with special readings approved by the Bishop.
v Some Feast Days have optional readings that are not posted on the website, but are in the Lectionary
v They could have been the readings from the Liturgy of the Hours
Can anyone help me out here? Are there any more reasons I haven’t thought of? Anyway, the best news is that he has agreed to go to a Mass with me as soon as we can arrange a day or afternoon off together. It’s probably best to go to a weekday Mass first, as it is a smaller crowd and sometimes more profound that way. Help me to pray that he finds success in his search for Christ.
I drove home from Bakersfield today with just two stops—the first just outside of “B-field” for gas, and the second in Modesto for Mass. I was afraid I wasn’t going to get to Mass today, because I had to go to work at 6AM this morning and I didn’t get off until 2PM. As I approached Fresno, it was about a quarter of four, and I thought, “Jesus, I’m going to try and make it to Modesto by 5:45 for Mass so I can use all the help I can get!” I hit the Modesto city limits at 5:30 and figured I could make it over to St. Joseph’s in 15 minutes easy. Of course, I started hitting all the red lights and got behind the slowest drivers in automotive history. I said, “Satan, get the hell out of here! I’m going to Mass and there’s nothing you can do to stop me! Even if I’m 3 or 4 minutes late, I’m going!” From that point on, the traffic was lighter and it was green lights all the way to the church! I’m not saying that Satan (or Jesus, for that matter) controls traffic or traffic lights—but I am saying it was quite a coincidence that I got to Mass as the first reading was being read, 3 minutes into the Mass.It’s a good thing, too. On my drive from down South, I was thinking about what I would write in my blog tonight, and the readings fit right in to what I came up with.
Ex 3:13-20
Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him, "When I go to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?"
God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: I AM sent me to you."
God spoke further to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the children of Israel:
The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.
"This is my name forever; this my title for all generations. "Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
"Thus they will heed your message. Then you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him: "The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word. Permit us, then, to go a three-days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God. "Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced. I will stretch out my hand, therefore, and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there. After that he will send you away."
Mt 11:28-30
Jesus said:
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
I love the simplicity of God’s answer to Moses: I AM. The same can be said about Jesus’ words to His disciples, “learn from me, for I AM meek and humble of heart”, which says to me that all we have to do is TRUST God and the burdens (or worries) that we have in our lives will be lightened. It’s tough sometimes, I know. But I have also experienced the relief from worries when I’ve given them to Jesus.
There are a few ways to remind ourselves that Jesus is there with His mercy:
The first is to say the rosary every day. I became aware (probably through the Holy Spirit) that I wasn’t giving the proper focus to the Word of God when reciting the rosary. I tended to just say "…and blessed is the fruit of they womb Jesus…" as though His Name is just another part of the prayer we say to ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for us. This, I realized, was putting more focus on her, rather than on Him Who is the source of Mercy. I found out when saying my rosary today that if I paused for just a second or two after the word “womb” before saying the Holy Name of Jesus, my focus was put back into the proper perspective, and I could actually feel the presence of Mary and Jesus in the car, and it made it easier to meditate on the mysteries as well! I felt compelled at times after saying the Name of Jesus to follow it up with a word that pertained to the mystery I was pondering. For instance, “and Blessed is the Fruit of your womb….Jesus…’”Upon Whom God’s favor rests.’”
Not to get sidetracked, but I was just thinking about the luminous mysteries I meditated on today and how they are all related to the Sacraments:
v The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan—the sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation.
v The Wedding feast at Cana—Matrimony.
v The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God—Holy Orders
v The Transfiguration—Confirmation and Last Rites
v The Institution of the Eucharist—obvious
The second way to remember God’s promise of mercy through Jesus Christ is the simple phrase Jesus gave to St. Faustina; “Jesus, I trust in you.”
And if the first two ways aren’t enough we have a reminder that even the atheist can’t ignore (at least for the time being), especially if they buy anything anywhere. Remember that on our currency in the US are the words, “In God We Trust”.
3 comments:
http://and-he-with-me.blogspot.com/
Here is how I set it up so far, not complete. EQ
Steve, about the readings on EWTN the other day, Yes they were changed and I couldn't get them up in my WAU, either. But they do that, sometimes, even at Mass, when I was attending daily Mass. And you are right, the Priest can change the readings for a certain day if he thinks it is appropriate. Uncle Bob told me that. And the reason for tit the other day on EWTN was, I believe, because several of the Priests lately have mentioned that the Friars are on retreat and they, the Priests have been asking for prayers for them. Sometimes too, on EWTN the Franciscan Order of Priests have Saints that are recognized but not particularly honored at a Mass for the general Church. I just put my WAU down and listened to the readings. Good that you made Mass the other day but you had better ask your Guardian Angel to sit in the car with you!!!! You don't want to have a wreck!! Since you know this isMom, I find I have an easier way to get my comment printed this way. I have by the way sent you a comment alsost every day but thought "phooey!" when it was not printed!!! Need you to all me this weekend sometime about Mass and possibly getting a few groceries, okay?
EQ---very nice start on your new blog page! Very appropriate for one who is searching and close to finding! It’s a real joy to know that you are sincerely and actively looking for Truth. I only hope I’m worthy enough to be the tool of the Holy Spirit to help you in your search. You remind me of the times I was watching my kids when they were first finding their independence—I stood by only to make sure they didn’t hurt themselves, and to provide support and answers if they asked. Then, when they figured out something on their own, the joy of their accomplishments was contagious! So, as advice this week—don’t worry that you’re not saying the rosary every day; it can be tough to find the time for meditative prayer when your holding down two (almost) full-time jobs! It’s not the number of prayers that matters, it’s the quality and sincerity with which they are presented to Our Lord. So try just offering up everything you do one day as a prayer. Start in the morning with something like: “Heavenly Father, I offer all of my successes and all of my setbacks that I may have today to You in prayer, because without You, I’m nothing. Please accept this prayer through your Son, my Lord, Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever.” I guarantee that if you start small with a sincere heart, He will help you find Him and find you more time for prayer as well.
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