Breathe in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart,
O Holy Spirit,
that I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me,
O Holy Spirit,
to defend all that is holy.
Guard me so,
O Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.
Amen.
Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
– – –
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.
The Gospel reading today is powerful and touching. A sinful woman, recognizing her sinfulness, ministers to Jesus by washing his feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, anointing them with fragrant ointment. In effect she is saying, “I know I am not worthy! I am so sorry! You are so good, so strong, so loving, so wise, that I can only find peace when I am bowed down before you, desperate to connect with you, but utterly aware of my unworthiness even to touch your feet. But I make bold to do it because your love compels me to be brave.”
It would be very counter-cultural to grovel like this! To acknowledge a God who is the supreme authority and the ultimate arbiter of what is right and wrong, what is true and not true. To say, “Whatever you will, I will do,” clashes with our sense of independence and self-determination. Over time, a distorted idea of “freedom” has become a kind of American religion.
Even for those of us who acknowledge that there is a God and proclaim Christ as King, we sometimes don’t perceive how much like the Pharisee in this Gospel story we are. We might invite Christ into our home, but we are always watching him to make sure he behaves as he ought. As long as Jesus stays in his proper place, we will gladly serve him and further his Kingdom. Wait….what?
We must constantly reassess out attitude toward God and toward Christ. One exercise we can do to remind ourselves of who we are and who Christ is, is modeled in this Gospel reading. We can literally get down on the floor and figuratively kiss the feet of Jesus. It is so healthy (and Catholic) to use the bodies that God has given us to demonstrate our love and devotion to him and our sorrow for our sins.
How readily we can forget the reverence and the obedience that is due to Christ! We are his beloved, but we are also his servants. I thank God for the woman in this Gospel reading who reminds us WHO CHRIST IS… He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are the sinners. His laws are perfectly just and one day, we will stand before his judgment throne.
We welcome Christine Hanus as a new contributing author on our Diocesan team!
Feature Image Credit: Duane Mendes, https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-man-in-robe-8763798/
Cornelius whose feast day is September 16th. A Roman priest, Cornelius was elected Pope to succeed Fabian in an election delayed fourteen months by Decius’ persecution of the Christians. The main issue of his pontificate was the treatment to be accorded Christians who had been apostasized during the persecution. He condemned those confessors who were lax in not demanding penance of these Christians and supported St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, against Novatus and his dupe, Felicissimus, whom …
Dios te salve, Maria. Llena eres de gracia: El Señor es contigo. Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres. Y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre: Jesús. Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte. Amén.
Today, during my morning prayers, the thought of the “extra button” on shirts kept popping into my head. Then, while reading the Gospel, I had this epiphany moment of the extra button that we are constantly offered through Jesus.
In today’s reading, we witness the heartbreak of a mother, the tragedy of losing a friend, and the overwhelming grief that follows death. Yet, even at this moment of suffering, Jesus still has concern and unbounded love for his loved ones.
“Woman, behold your son” (John 19:26).
In Jesus’ last moments, he gives his mother to John to take care of.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they do’” (Luke 23:34).
Again, in Jesus’ last moments, he forgives them. Them, his murders. He forgives them and dies for all of our sins, washing us with eternally-offered forgiveness.
You see, Jesus knew that he was about to give his life, the greatest sacrifice, in order to give us all the gift of forgiveness and eternal life, but he still provided for those on earth. He gave his mother to someone to take care of her, he gave us forgiveness, he gave us his life.
These last couple years have been difficult for most of us in so many ways, yet even in our grief, hurt, and misplaced anger, we are offered all that we need through Christ Jesus’ sacrifice. We are offered a family and community when we feel so lonely that it hurts. We are offered truth when we have believed the lies for so long. We are offered forgiveness and mercy even when we can’t stand to look at ourselves in the mirror.
Jesus has given us so much, everything we could ever need and beyond everything we could ever imagine, so that when we lose a button… or when the button is torn away leaving a hole…or maybe it’s just suddenly gone without realizing it for weeks… he will always pull the extra button out of his pocket and help us to be whole again.
Through the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, we pray:
Mother Mary, we ask for your faith.
You chose to willingly devote yourself to God’s will
and understood the pain of sacrifice.
Help us to trust in the Lord and His will.
Christ Jesus, we plead for your mercy.
Even in giving your life, you took care of your people
and provided them with all they may need.
Help us know that we will always be cared for.
Amen.
Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh.
Feature Image Credit: Clever Sparkle, https://unsplash.com/photos/ktU47o88mUY
The massacre of the martyrs of Lyons with their bishop, St. Pothinus, took place during the persecutions of Marcus Aurelius in the year 177. Marcellus, a priest, we are told, by Divine intervention, managed to escape to Chalon-sur-Saone, where he was given shelter. His host was a pagan, and seeing him offer incense before images of Mars, Mercury, and Minerva, Marcellus remonstrated with and converted him. While journeying toward the North, the priest fell in with the governor Priscus, who asked …
Behold, O Mother of Perpetual Help, at thy feet a wretched sinner, who has recourse to thee and trusts in thee. O Mother of mercy, have pity on me; I hear all men call thee the refuge and hope of sinners: be therefore my refuge and my hope. Help me for the love of Jesus Christ: hold out thy hand to a fallen wretch, who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to be thy servant forever. I praise and thank God, who of His great mercy hath given me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of …
True story: the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, St. Helena, went to Jerusalem in search of the actual places in Jesus’ life. In the process, she had the Temple of Aphrodite torn down because it was said that it had been built over Jesus’ tomb. As they were tearing it down, three crosses were found. How were they to know which one had held the Savior? It is said that it was identified when it was the one which immediately healed a dying woman. Constantine then built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre on that spot, and it was dedicated on September 14. This date and the cross itself have been venerated ever since the 4th century.
We all know what a cross is, what THE Cross is, and yet its very familiarity can obscure the profound meaning because we have never actually seen a cross in its original use: as a terrible instrument of torturous execution used by a cruel and barbaric “government” to control people and maintain power. People – many people – died horribly and publicly throughout the Roman Empire on crosses so that others would get the message to “stay in line” and not go against the system. Nothing to “exalt” there.
Today, we don’t celebrate crucifixion. We celebrate ONE CROSS of ONE PERSON who suffered and died a horrible and public execution FOR US. This particular Cross is therefore the place and instrument of Jesus’ triumph over sin and death FOR US. It is the celebration of our own salvation, which we can never forget came through the obedient suffering and death of Jesus. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, emptied himself and became one humbled, persecuted, and condemned FOR US. Crucified. FOR US.
When we make the Sign of the Cross over ourselves today, let’s make a point to recall that our ability to live in grace comes from the Cross, our very existence today comes from the Cross, our hope in eternal salvation comes from the Cross. Everything we do today that is good and true and beautiful is possible because of Jesus’ death on the Cross. FOR US.
We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you, because by Your Cross You have redeemed the world.
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and four grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is www.KathrynTherese.com
Feature Image Credit: Gime Salvatelli, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/16859-sacrificio
Patroness of poor peasants and servants in the Tyrol. Born in Rattenberg, in the Tyrol, she was the daughter of peasants. At eighteen she became a servant in the household of Count Henry of Rattenberg When Notburga repeatedly gave food to the poor, she was dismissed by Count HenryÂ?s wife, Ottilia, and took up a position as a servant to a humble farmer. Meanwhile, Henry suffering a run of misfortune and setbacks, wasted no time restoring Notburga to her post after his wife died. Notburga …