O Miraculous Infant Jesus, we prostrate before Your Image and beseech You to cast your merciful look on our troubled hearts.
Let Your tender Heart, so inclined to pity, be softened by our prayers and grant us that grace for which we ardently implore You.
[Mention your request]
Take from us all despair, all trials and misfortunes with which we are laden.
For Your Sacred Infancy’s sake, hear our prayers and send us consolation and aid that we may praise You, with the Father and the …
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”
Similes are very specific types of metaphors. (English teacher moment; all similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes.) Metaphors allow us to express the nuances of emotions, experiences and images when we don’t have a shared vocabulary to explain. Similes deepen our understanding by drawing a connection between something we don’t have the words to understand and something which can be understood through our standard vocabulary.
Certainly, there was no standard vocabulary to explain Jesus or his mission. He was here to take everything that people thought they knew and show them they had only scratched the surface. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matt 5:17)
The first half of this verse from today’s reading seems pretty clear. When we go out to live as Christians in the world, we are heading out looking like prey in the midst of a world full of predators. This passage comes after the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus was sending out his disciples to be apostles spreading the word of the kingdom of God. It is the same message for us. When we preach love in a world structured on competition and topping one another, in a culture where making sure that our needs are met and no one infringes on our rights, we Christians are looked at as if we have sprouted a third arm from the middle of our forehead and treated as if we are incapable of understanding “the real world”. What we as Christians know, is this isn’t the real world. This world is where we pray, “to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.” This world is our valley of tears! We are not to be in search of comfort and happiness (big difference between happiness and joy, but that is the stuff of another reflection), we recognize this world is where we suffer so that we can join our suffering to that of Christ.
Which brings us to needing to be “shrewd as serpents”. I grew up terrified of snakes. My dad (who in reality was more frightened than I was) always told me, “They are more afraid of you than you are of them.” As a general rule, snakes avoid humans. Science confirms they are wary of men and strike only as a last-ditch effort to defend themselves. Being wary is pretty good advice for us too. We have a mission. We are here to further God’s kingdom, to live and love as Jesus. We need to be cunning as serpents and be wary of the agenda’s and plans of men and focus on God. Jesus confirms this latter in the Gospel passage, “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt 10:22) Being shrewd as a serpent allows us to be as simple as doves and stay focused on being who Jesus calls us to be, fulfilling the mission he has set before us, living a life of faith.
Faith is a theological virtue, infused in us at our baptism. It isn’t something we conjure up on our own, it is an entirely free gift from God to man. (CCC 162) We can lose this gift, as St. Paul told Timothy, through rejecting our conscience. (1 Tim 1:18-19) When we lose our focus, we lose our faith. Faith makes us taste in advance the light of the beatific vision. (CCC 163). It gives us hope in the midst of this valley of tears. Faith shows itself through works of charity, actively loving all we meet.
So let us embrace this simile and bravely venture forth as sheep among the wolves, grounded in the gift of faith, strong in the hope of the world to come. We can be cunning as serpents and be wary of the ways of men so that we maintain the simplicity of doves and remain focused on God. In doing this, we give back to God the gifts we have received, we give our very selves in service of the Kingdom.
In the words of Dorothy Day, “It is a hard doctrine, this loving your enemies, this being as simple as doves, wise as serpents… It is hard to love Pharisees and scribes, the hypocrites, and cynics too. O God take away my heart of stone and give me a heart of flesh!” (1951)
Sheryl delights in being the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process whether it is studying for classes, deepening their prayer life or discovering new ways to serve together. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Brea, a Bernese Mountain dog and Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever.
Martyr with eleven companions in Lebanon. A Spanish Franciscan, Emmanuel and the others were caught up in the rising of the Druses in Lebanon. The Franciscan community, eight in number, and three Maronite laymen were slain by the Islamic rebels. He was beatified in 1926.
Almighty God,
from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed,
kindle in the hearts of all men the true love of peace,
and guide with Your pure and peaceable wisdom
those who make decisions for the nations of the earth;
that in tranquility Your kingdom may go forward,
till the earth be filled with the knowledge of Your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Thus says the LORD:
When Israel was a child I loved him,
out of Egypt I called my son.
The more I called them,
the farther they went from me,
Sacrificing to the Baals
and burning incense to idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
who took them in my arms;
I drew them with human cords,
with bands of love;
I fostered them like one
who raises an infant to his cheeks;
Yet, though I stooped to feed my child,
they did not know that I was their healer.
My heart is overwhelmed,
my pity is stirred.
I will not give vent to my blazing anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again;
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One present among you;
I will not let the flames consume you.
R. (4b) Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken.
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see:
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted,
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“As you go, make this proclamation:
‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words–
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town.”
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, please go here.
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Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Today we hear Jesus tell His Apostles their mission. In this Gospel, He urges them to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. They do not do this on their own powers but through Christ. He is commissioning His apostles, our first priests to continue His work on earth. As we are all called to be His disciples, we too can take much of this mission to heart. He advised them to wish peace to every house they enter. If it is not a worthy house or if the house or town does not listen to their words, He says to “shake the dust from your feet”.
A few reflection questions to consider from Jesus’ words today; are you proclaiming that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand? Are you a man or woman of peace? Do you wish peace to all those you encounter in and outside of your family or your communities? How can you grow in bringing Christ’s peace to those who are not at peace? When someone is not open or responsive to your evangelization, do you shake the dust from your feet? Do you still wish them peace and continue the mission of proclaiming the Good News?
May we all shake the dust from our feet and find strength and peace in Christ as we continue to be His missionary disciples.
Briana is the Pastoral Minister at St. Mark Church in Cleveland, OH. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH and is excited to use these skills to serve the Church.
Capuchin mystic who had many spiritual gifis. A native of Binasco, near Milan, Italy, born in 1660, she entered the Capuchins atCitttidi Castello, Umbria, in 1677. She remained there for the rest of her life and served as novice mistress for thirty-four years. A mystic, she was the recipient of a stigmata in 1697 and visions, the accounts of which are quite detailed. She impressed her fellow nuns by remaining remarkably practical despite her numerous ecstatic experiences. Veronica was named …
O God, great and omnipotent judge of the living and the dead, we are to appear before you after this short life to render an account of our works. Give us the grace to prepare for our last hour by a devout and holy life, and protect us against a sudden and unprovided death. Let us remember our frailty and mortality, that we may always live in the ways of your commandments. Teach us to “watch and pray” (Lk 21:36), that when your summons comes for our departure from this world, we may go forth to …
The phrase ‘the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, is at hand is mentioned one hundred and twenty-two times in the gospels. We heard it twice today. I had to pause and sit with this statement. I still struggle with what this means to me and what I am meant to do.
This phrase from morning prayer (on Monday) stayed with me. ‘You sent your Word as the sun of truth and justice shining upon mankind.’ Jesus’ word is truth and justice. Jesus shared his words with the apostles. He sent them out to proclaim that the ‘kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Again my question surfaced, what am I meant to do? Who am I in His Kingdom?
I am called to build the kingdom of God in civil and everyday situations and activities. I am called to live with the Gospel as my template and guide, going seamlessly from the Gospel to life, and from life to the Gospel. I am called to be attentive to what is happening in the current situations of life all around me. I am to be present and aware of consistently sharing the Gospel message, the truth, and justice found in the Word and the Way. Most importantly, I am to be humble while sharing the Gospel in my actions and words as I live my life each day.
A great light left this world Tuesday when Ennio Morricone died at 91. Ennio was a composer who began his career arranging sacred music for radio broadcast in 1950. He had a love of Gregorian chant and sacred music. He was commissioned in 2012 to write a Mass to commemorate the Jesuit order to which Pope Francis belongs).
Ennio Morricone is better known for his more than five hundred film scores. I believe Mr. Morricone’s works illustrate the words of the psalm today, ‘sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.’ Ps 105 One of my favorite scores is for The Mission. This movie is at the top of Fr Casey Cole’s list of must-see Catholic movies. Ennio Morricone had a gift to take what was happening in a film and translate the environment, feeling, mood, and tension of the script and make it come alive to the viewers and all who listen to the music.
Part of my walk in the Kingdom is to write as a way to invite and share God’s Kingdom. Who are you in His Kingdom? What are you called to do today? How are you attentive to the Gospel as you see it played out in your life?
Beth is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She brings a unique depth of experience to the group due to her time spent in education, parish ministries, sales and the service industry over the last 25 yrs. She is a practicing spiritual director as well as a Secular Franciscan (OFS). Beth is quick to offer a laugh, a prayer or smile to all she comes in contact with. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.
Benedictine abbot also called Grimwald, invited to England by King Alfred in 885. Grimbald arrived in England and declined the see of Canterbury, preferring to remain a monk. He became the abbot of New Minster Abbey at Winchester appointed by King Edward the Elder. Grimbald is credited with restoring learning to England.