Sunday Edition - News and Commentary For The Christian Reader #1

SUNDAY EDITION

A WEEKLY EDITION OF THE BLOG FEATURING  CHRISTIAN NEWS AND OPINION 

A Page of Opinion and Commentary  #1

SUNDAY EDITION TO TACKLE CONTROVERSY AND OPINION 

My normal blog posting consists of commentary on the daily Scripture readings at the daily Mass.  Beginning today, and every Sunday, I will include a blog entry called Sunday Edition which will feature one or two news stories as reported by reliable Catholic news sources and commentaries on those stories. Readers are encouraged to use the comment facility of Blogger to share their opinions of the story.   Comments will be moderated to ensure that they are on point and the language used is "safe for work" and is courteous in nature.  So let's get started.

Euthanasia Coming To A Hospice Near You

Source of Story - Click Here

A Terminal Man Speaks - Click Here

Mercy is a wonderful word but something goes wrong with it when you add to it the word killing.  More and more a movement to offer physician-assisted suicide is taking root in the garden of God we call earth.  As you know, the Church rightfully states that we are to take care of each other from birth to natural death. Among those of us who are still reasonably healthy and not under doctor's care for the end stage of a terminal disease, we cannot know what the pains of such an existence might be like. I have watched my mother and my father take their last breaths and I could see what the terminal disease did to their psyche. I did not detect fear in either of them and in my father's case him and my stepmother became closer during those final months.  When the time came, dad was placed under the care of hospice and they kept him comfortable and without much pain until he took and expelled his final breath.  My father was never more alive than when he was with Pat as they cared for one another as they aged. They deserved every day that was possible to share life with one another.  

But what is wrong with Euthanasia.  Certainly, there comes a time when the pain gets too painful to bear any longer or the inconvenience if having to depend on others seems to rob a person of dignity, shouldn't the alternative of assisted suicide be offered to such a person?  Don't we all own our lives and our bodies and have the final say as to our fate?  Alas, our fate is a common one, death comes to us all and we fear it so because we do not know what comes after it. Well, we do not own our bodies and we do not have the right to injure ourselves in any way that would bring about our death sooner than God intended.  We cannot create a life as unique as the person that lies on the deathbed so we cannot be the ones to decide if their life is to continue or not. Quality of life is often a reason why Euthanasia is suggested.  How can we judge the quality of one's life when the vast majority of who we are and what we are are in the mind and the soul, places hidden from our view?

There was a very successful program that provided a merciful death to those that were suffering.  Now, they may not have been actually on their deathbed but they were seen to be using us resources that could be better used by the healthy.  The Nazi T4 program gassed the mentally ill, mentally challenged, the lame, the disfigured and anyone else that could be served under the generous guidelines of the Eugenics Department of the Reich. 

But the ardent supporters of euthanasia are not saying that we should imitate this program, that it is voluntary and up to the one who knows best, the patient.  Perhaps at the outset, the matter is between doctor and patient, it is evil either way.  But I don't believe that it will stay as a private matter.  Already there are government reports that state that the last months of life are the most expensive as far as the end of life care goes.  Once the government (any government, not just ours) starts analyzing costs, it will have some number driven bureaucrat point out that if a person with such and such a disease is given a merciful death x amount of dollars would be spent each year.  Voluntary euthanasia is a slippery slope and at the bottom of the slope is mandated end of life measures for all.  My father was proud that he served in World War II and with his colleagues defeated the forces of evil that would have brought such darkness into the world.  Would they have fought so bravely if they knew we were on the road to embracing our very own T4 program?  God is the master of life and death and we need to leave these decisions to Him and we need to care for each other as if we were caring for Christ Himself.  

--------------------------READERS PLEASE NOTE---------------------

Sunday Edition is written to elicit thoughtful contemplation of issues that are important to Christian people, especially Catholic Christians. Comments, pro, and con are invited.  Comments are moderated and comments that violate politeness will be not be shown.  

©2018 Michael J. Spoula and Galloping Goose Studios. Permission is granted to distribute this work under the Creative Commons clause provided a link back to this page is included. 

How To Cleanse A Temple

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,

Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, 

as well as the money changers seated there.

He made a whip out of cords

and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, 

and spilled the coins of the money changers

and overturned their tables, 

and to those who sold doves he said,

"Take these out of here, 

and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."

His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, 

Zeal for your house will consume me.

Oh boy! Now he's gone and done it.  Before he was just a would-be messiah but now He has made himself an economic nuisance to the high priest and his family who either owned the concessions or was being paid a "fee" from the sellers and money changers for the privilege of serving the temple attending public.  After all, you had to have animals to sacrifice and the animals had to be free of any defect to be worthy to be sacrificed on Yahweh's altar and all such animals purchased on temple grounds were guaranteed to be acceptable.  Also, if you wanted to donate to the temple, you had to donate in temple shekels and not the money of the world that most likely had been contaminated along the way.  Certainly, one could not expect the money to be changed for free, there had to be a fee, it was only right, wasn't it?  So what right did this ridiculous man have to drive man and animal out of the temple?  

Actually, the business of talent acquisition for the bloody sacrifices of the altar and for the donation of the proper coinage was supposed to take place in the court of the Gentiles which was the outer court of the temple quite separate from the inner court where the business of the worship of God began in earnest.  The temple concessions had invaded this inner court and in effect desecrated sacred ground.  Jesus, as a good Jew probably had a lot of support for what he did from the ordinary people but he really upset the priestly family of Annas and Caiaphas who now more than ever wanted to be rid of this Jesus fellow. 

But how does this Jesus square with the meek and humble Jesus we usually see Him as?  We know Jesus as asking the children to come near so he could bless them.  He was kind and forgiving to the lady caught in adultery.  He was generous to the family who ran out of wine in Cana.  Here we see a different side of Jesus.  God is all loving and all merciful but He is also a just God who brooks no nonsense when it comes to widows and orphans and who did rain down destruction on the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah.  To sell animals inside the very house of God would rile Jesus up because He knew how glorious and holy the Father is.  He knew that this sale inside the temple was an insult and he would stand for no insult to the Father.   

This incident represents, I believe, a turning point in history.  Prior to this the high priest and his cronies would have been satisfied to have Jesus ridiculed with scorn and ridden out of town on a rail but now He had gone too far and He could not be allowed to make the high priest look weak in the eyes of the people.  The stage was being set for the Temple crowd to have their revenge.  Funny thing is, they thought it was their idea! 

Here is an idea for you on how to pray for the poor souls in a unique way.  Open your newspaper to the obituary section and pick a name at random and pray for that person by name.   Remember too to pray for your beloved dead.  Don't let your love for them end at the grave.  

The Wisdom of the Prodigal Son

When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
'How many of my father's hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'

Our unlikely hero in this story, the Prodigal Son, displays a bit of wisdom that we never give him credit for. He knows that without a doubt not only he would be allowed back, he also knew without a doubt that he would be fed.  He had this faith based on his identity.  He was, after all, still a son to his father.  He knew that being the son would trump his bad behavior and he would receive a welcome.  Now, he was not sure what type of welcome he would receive, because after all, he did squander half of the wealth that his father had spent his life accumulating so while he knew he would be accepted, he was not sure how loving his reception would be.  He had that base covered as well.  He would play the humility card and ask to be treated not as a son but as a hired worker.  This plea was designed to melt the heart of a cross but still loving father.  We know the end of the story.  The boy's plan works and not only does he get to eat, he is accepted back as his father's son again.

This story is about me and you. All of us are in some ways like the prodigal son.  We go off on our own and walking under our own power we follow our eyes, ears, nose, and our sense of touch into places and situations that are not good for us.  We experience there what we wanted to experience and then comes the downside of the escapade, we are broken, we are humble, and we have squandered our inheritance for something that vanishes like smoke.  Some of us never recover. Some of us stay in the strange alien land far too long because we are afraid of the reception we might get if we returned home again.  We must set aside these concerns and remember that the Father is waiting and watching and will welcome us back the moment we acknowledge where we have been and what we have done.  Forgiveness is as close as the door of the confessional room in your church.  

You say that you confess your sins directly to Jesus and get forgiveness that way.  I am sure that forgiveness is there for you but the way Jesus wants us to do it is through the Church and through the priest who sits in Persona Christi.  It is not the priest that forgives sins, it is Christ working through the priest who distributes pardon and clemency no matter what the sin, no matter how serious the offense.  

What is it you fear about this wonderful sacrament of reconciliation?  Do you fear it because it has been so very long since you have approached the font of mercy that flows from the Sacred Heart of Jesus?  God does not live in time.  God lives in love which is ageless.  Approach without fear.  Are you afraid what your priest will think of you if you confess your sins to him?  Your priest, even if he is your twin brother, will not remember nor hold anything you say in the confessional against you.  God will not be surprised by what you confess, He knows everything that you have ever done and His hope is that you realize what you have done, accept His pardon and His graces and to start over again as one in His adopted family.   You say that you confess the same sin over and over again and you find this embarrassing?  Well, what do you want, forgiveness or a new sin to commit? Confessing repeat patterns of sin will obtain for you not condemnation but more graces to fight off the temptation the next time it occurs. 

Please, in this Lenten season, take stock of yourself.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the sins you have locked away and forgotten about and approach the sacrament with joy because you were once lost and now you are found. 

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And now a word from our sponsor, The Poor Souls in Purgatory.

Purgatory is a real place and many are those that inhabit it.  They need our prayers and our sacrifices.  Please pray for the Poor Souls as part of your Lenten journey.  It will mean so much to them. 

POPE FRANCIS ON PRAYING FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

Pope Francis teaches that:

Even now we experience a communion between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven through our union with those who have died. The souls in heaven assist us with their prayers, while we assist the souls in purgatory through our good works, prayer, and participation in the Eucharist. As members of the Church then, the distinction is not between who has died and who is living, but rather who is in Christ and who is not …

There is a deep and indissoluble bond between those who are still pilgrims in this world — us — and those who have crossed the threshold of death and entered eternity. All baptized persons here on earth, the souls in Purgatory and all the blessed who are already in Paradise make one great Family. This communion between earth and heaven is realized especially in intercessory prayer.

TEACHINGS OF POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II ON THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

Pope St. John Paul II also encouraged prayers for the dead:

Joined to the merits of the saints, our fraternal prayer comes to the aid of those who await the beatific vision. Intercession for the dead, just as the life of those living according to the divine commandments, obtains the merits that serve the full attainment of salvation. It is an expression of the fraternal charity of the one family of God, by which “we are faithful to the Church’s deepest vocation” (Lumen Gentium, n. 51): “to save souls who will love God eternally” (Thérèse of Lisieux, Prayers, 6; cf. Manuscript A 77rº). For the souls in purgatory, waiting for eternal happiness and for meeting the Beloved is a source of suffering, because of the punishment due to sin which separates them from God. But there is also the certitude that once the time of purification is over, the soul will go to meet the One it desires (cf. Ps 42; 62) …

I encourage Catholics to pray fervently for the dead, for their family members and for all our brothers and sisters who have died, that they may obtain the remission of the punishments due to their sins and may hear the Lord’s call: “Come, O my dear soul, to eternal repose in the arms of my goodness, which has prepared eternal delights for you” (Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, 17, 4)”

TEN WAYS TO PRAY FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY

It is appropriate to commemorate All Souls Day by praying for those who have gone before us in faith. Here are ten ways we can pray for our deceased friends and relatives, and for all our brothers and sisters who have died in Christ.

1. Pray the Novena to the Holy Souls by St. Alphonsus Liguori.
    
2. Offer up your Holy Communions for the souls in purgatory.
    
3. Have Masses said for your departed loved ones, especially on the anniversary of his or her death.
    
4. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the intention of the Holy Souls.
    
5. Eucharistic Adoration: visit the Blessed Sacrament to make acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on behalf of those in purgatory.
    
6. Sacrifices: practice small acts of self-denial throughout your day and offer these penances up for the poor souls.
    
7. Give alms: The giving of material assistance to the poor has always been considered a penance that can be offered for the Holy Souls. “For almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin” (Tobit 12:9).
    
8. Ask for the intercession of saints who were known to be great friends of the Holy Souls during their lifetime to join you in prayer for the faithful departed: St. Nicholas of Tolentino, St. Gertrude the Great, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Padre Pio, St. Philip Neri, St. John Macías, St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Joseph, Our Lady, and others.
    
9. When passing by a cemetery: Pray the short Eternal Rest prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon them. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
    
10. Pray to earn indulgences for the holy souls:  On all the days from November 1 to November 8, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed (standard requirements for indulgences apply*). Partial indulgences are granted to those who recite Lauds or Vespers of the Office of the Dead, and to those who recite the prayer, “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace”.

Rejected Stone

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: 
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, 'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Fear was not an emotion that ruled the life of Jesus.  Had this been so He would not have been able to talk to the powerful men, the movers, and the shakers, as He had done here.  He recounted the history of the Jews and how they treated the prophets that Yahweh sent them.  

If there was one thing that the management of the temple did not need it was a Messiah. They were occupied by Rome and the Romans did not like the idea of a Messiah coming to free Israel from the snare of Roman rule.  The leadership was intent on remaining leaders and the leadership that they provided for the people was geared to keeping the Romans at bay and their world subject to as little change as possible. 

Jesus, on the other hand, was not here to preserve the status quo.  He was here to sow the seeds of God's kingdom and bring about a revolution in how mankind and God carried on business.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were not in the market for a revolution and they certainly did not think that a carpenters son from Galilee would be the one who would be bringing any change anyway.  

Jesus forecast the end of the story because he told them that the landowner sent his only son and he too was rejected by the leaders. The leadership took umbrage at their being the fall guys in this parable and looked for some way to arrest Him but Jesus was too popular with the crowd and they feared a riot if they were to arrest him in public so they would have to bide their time and wait for a man that could operate in the darkness and deliver the goods to them privately and with as little publicity as possible.  Enter a man named Judas from Iscariot.  To be continued...

Remember man thou art dust to dust thou shalt return.  Please remember our beloved dead, the Poor Souls in Purgatory in your prayers today.  

Lazarus and The RIch Man

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man's table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.'
Abraham replied, 'My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.'
He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father's house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.'
But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.'
He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
Then Abraham said,
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'"

LK 16:19-31

The name Lazarus means, "God is my help."  In today's reading, he is presented as a most pitiful creature.  He is poor and sick and humble enough that he would eat the scraps from the rich man's table.   We also have a rich man, who is not named so we can consider his identity to be "God is not my help."  He is the perfect contrast to Lazarus.  He is rich, and proud and well fed and very happy.  As it happens to all of us, the time came for each to die.  Lazarus, who suffered greatly during his lifetime is brought to Paradise where he sits and drinks coffee with Abraham.  The rich man, the man who trusted in himself and his riches and squandered them all for the good of his self, dies and we are told he is buried, no being carried to Abraham for him. 

We see now that the tables have been turned. Lazarus is enjoying the never-ending pleasures of heaven, after all, it was a bottomless coffee cup!  We also hear how the unnamed rich man is in torment because he did not count God among his friends.  He shouts out to Lazarus asking that he come and moisten his lips with some cool water.  Abraham responds to the rich man telling him that during his life he took no pity on the poor and he enjoyed all of the good things of earth and he was receiving the reward that he earned for what he had not done.  The man seems to accept his fate and asks that his brothers be warned about this place that was his for eternity, a place of pain and torment.  Abraham tells him that his brothers have the law and the prophets and should believe because of them.  The man says that they would believe if someone from the dead cam to tell them.   Abraham shakes his head and tells him, "If they won't listen to the Law and the Prophets, then they will not believe even if someone were to raise from the dead."

This Lenten season we are called to do more than we do at other times of the year.  We are called to get in touch with our spiritual side and to do things that nourish our souls more than our bodies.  We know the end of this story.  We know that Jesus is murdered upon the cross and He does raise from the dead.  Look around you, see what little things you can do for those you come into contact with every day.  Little anonymous acts of giving and kindness will help others have a good day and to perhaps pay forward the good fortune that you bestowed on them.  It will certainly make them think and that could be the first step to a person walking the road of conversion.  One of the major lessons in our reading for today is to not keep everything for yourself but to look around and to do good where you can.  If not during Lent, then when?



Purgatory is a real place and many are those that inhabit it.  They need our prayers and our sacrifices.  Please pray for the Poor Souls as part of your Lenten journey.  It will mean so much to them. 

Pope Francis on praying for the souls in purgatory

Pope Francis teaches that:

Even now we experience a communion between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven through our union with those who have died. The souls in heaven assist us with their prayers, while we assist the souls in purgatory through our good works, prayer and participation in the Eucharist. As members of the Church then, the distinction is not between who has died and who is living, but rather who is in Christ and who is not …

There is a deep and indissoluble bond between those who are still pilgrims in this world — us — and those who have crossed the threshold of death and entered eternity. All baptized persons here on earth, the souls in Purgatory and all the blessed who are already in Paradise make one great Family. This communion between earth and heaven is realized especially in intercessory prayer.

Teachings of Pope St. John Paul II on the souls in purgatory

Pope St. John Paul II also encouraged prayers for the dead:

Joined to the merits of the saints, our fraternal prayer comes to the aid of those who await the beatific vision. Intercession for the dead, just as the life of those living according to the divine commandments, obtains the merits that serve the full attainment of salvation. It is an expression of the fraternal charity of the one family of God, by which “we are faithful to the Church’s deepest vocation” (Lumen gentium, n. 51): “to save souls who will love God eternally” (Thérèse of Lisieux, Prayers, 6; cf. Manuscript A 77rº). For the souls in purgatory, waiting for eternal happiness and for meeting the Beloved is a source of suffering, because of the punishment due to sin which separates them from God. But there is also the certitude that once the time of purification is over, the soul will go to meet the One it desires (cf. Ps 42; 62) …

I encourage Catholics to pray fervently for the dead, for their family members and for all our brothers and sisters who have died, that they may obtain the remission of the punishments due to their sins and may hear the Lord’s call: “Come, O my dear soul, to eternal repose in the arms of my goodness, which has prepared eternal delights for you” (Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, 17, 4)”

Ten Ways to Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

It is appropriate to commemorate All Souls Day by praying for those who have gone before us in faith. Here are ten ways we can pray for our deceased friends and relatives, and for all our brothers and sisters who have died in Christ.

1. Pray the Novena to the Holy Souls by St. Alphonsus Liguori.
    
2. Offer up your Holy Communions for the souls in purgatory.
    
3. Have Masses said for your departed loved ones, especially on the anniversary of his or her death.
    
4. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the intention of the Holy Souls.
    
5. Eucharistic Adoration: visit the Blessed Sacrament to make acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on behalf of those in purgatory.
    
6. Sacrifices: practice small acts of self-denial throughout your day and offer these penances up for the poor souls.
    
7. Give alms: The giving of material assistance to the poor has always been considered a penance that can be offered for the Holy Souls. “For almsgiving saves from death, and purges all sin” (Tobit 12:9).
    
8. Ask for the intercession of saints who were known to be great friends of the Holy Souls during their lifetime to join you in prayer for the faithful departed: St. Nicholas of Tolentino, St. Gertrude the Great, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Padre Pio, St. Philip Neri, St. John Macías, St. Faustina Kowalska, St. Joseph, Our Lady, and others.
    
9. When passing by a cemetery: Pray the short Eternal Rest prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon them. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
    
10. Pray to earn indulgences for the holy souls:  On all the days from November 1 to November 8, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed (standard requirements for indulgences apply*). Partial indulgences are granted to those who recite Lauds or Vespers of the Office of the Dead, and to those who recite the prayer, “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace”.

Pharisee or Sadducees - Who Were THey?

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,                   
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'

As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'

You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.

Call no one on earth your father;

you have but one Father in heaven.

Do not be called 'Master';

you have but one master, the Christ.

The greatest among you must be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,

but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Today's reading is chock full of the things that make arguing with Protestants so much fun!   But, we've already covered these fun to fight subjects so, I wasn't quite sure how to approach this reading.  We notice that Jesus is coming down hard on the scribes and the Pharisees.  Was being a Pharisee evil in of itself?  Actually, there was a lot of things that they did that were good and worthy of being imitated.  They were pious, devoted to Yahweh and believed both in the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead. They did not get along so well with the Sadducees, the upper class, who made up the cadre of priests.  The Pharisees could spend hours endlessly speculating on the Law and its many interpretations while the Sadducees believed in black letter interpretation of the Torah and I guess would be what we would call today a fundamentalist.  The typical Pharisee was middle class while the Sadducee was born into the upper class. The Pharisee believed in an afterlife, the resurrection of the dead, and distrusted the Jewish leadership. The upper-class Sadducee believed in none of these things.  There was a third class involved in temple worship, these would be the common folks, people like you and I, who looked to these two groups for the proper way to worship Yahweh. 

Jesus was very critical of how the Pharisees acted and points out the things that they do that He does not like.  He mentions, for example,  that they widen their phylacteries, which were small boxes containing the Law that would be worn on the head so that one would always remember to keep the Law.  Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees made theirs larger than normal so that they were more noticeable.  As a matter of fact, He points out that they do everything so that they will be seen and appear to be holy and observant men.  Jesus is against all of these outward displays of religiosity since they do not match what is being carries inside the heart of the man.  The Pharisees were known as master debaters. They would debate the fine points of the Law and come up with regulations that regulated the regulations that they had made up and so made life harder for the people while they themselves would find reasons why such laws and regulations were not meant for them. 

This Lenten season we should make an effort to disguise our acts of penitence and keep them just between God and ourselves.  Yes, fast, but act as if you are filled to the brim with food!   Yes, pray, but pray in secret where no one can see and pour your heart out to God.  He will listen to you!  Be kinder, be more gentle, be ready to serve, all on the "QT."  The Lord will be pleased with your service if you do it for Him and desire nor expect a return favor or any acknowledgment from those you serve. 

Here is something you can do, keep secret, and accomplish a good work (one of the Spiritual Acts of Mercy) that will benefit others.  That is to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.  An Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be prayed for them is very helpful and is needed.  There are millions of souls in Purgatory that no one prays for either because, like the Protestants, they do not believe in Purgatory so no prayers are offered for their loved dead or because we believe that members of our family or friends that have passed are already in Heaven.  Oh, I wish with all my heart that this is so.  But remember it might not be.  Please pray for your relatives and friends by name.  Do not allow your love for them stop at the grave.   Thank You!  

You're Gonna Get It Now!

Jesus said to his disciples:                                                     

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, 
shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you."
Luke 6: 36-38

The messages that Jesus gives us should leave us feeling pretty good because they are all about loving one another, being kind, doing good, you know, the behavior that a Christian should be living in their daily life.  Today's message ends with a stark warning that some people may miss because they get all wrapped up in the thought of receiving a gift from God who is most generous.  The warning is there through the whole reading but it is most clearly stated in the last sentence. "For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."   So, how you judge other people, your definition of what makes a person good or bad will be applied to you when you stand before God.  Can you live up to all the expectations you have for other people?  Have you lived your life without ever deviating from the rule you have set for others?  Few, if any of us, could stand such a scrutiny because we often find excuses for ourselves that we do not apply to others. 

So today I suggest we spend a moment or two reconciling our inner and outer selves.  Do we judge others using the same measure as we do ourselves?  Does the color, creed, or economic circumstances of another person affect the way we think about and treat them?  Remember:  The defects you see in others most clearly are the ones you yourself have a tendency to display.  Remeber too that God sees what is in our heart.  Make His job easier by making the inner you the same as the outer you. 

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by St. Gertrude the Great

According to tradition, St. Gertrude the Great was told by Our Lord that the following prayer, each time she piously recited it, would release 1,000 souls (or a vast number) from their suffering in purgatory:

“Eternal Father,
I offer You the most precious blood
of thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with the Masses said
throughout the world today,
for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the universal Church,
for those in my own home,
and in my family. Amen.”