Third Ordinary Sunday: Isaiah 9:1-3; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17; Matthew 4:12-23 ~ new day dawning

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentence and prayer:

I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.

Most powerful Holy Spirit, come down upon us and subdue us. Bathe us with the brilliance of Your light like dew from heaven, where the ordinary is made glorious, and glory seems but ordinary.

A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 9:1-3 (NLT)

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 (NLT)

The Lord is my light and my salvation — so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
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The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most — is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
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Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
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Spiritual Song: One Thing – Hillsong

One thing I desire / One thing I seek / To gaze upon Your beauty / And Your Majesty / God of my salvation / Lifter of my head / Teach me how to live oh Lord / And Your righteousness / So I pray to You / So I pray to You

Lord, Your name / Is higher than the heavens / Lord, Your name / Is higher than all created things / Higher than hope / Higher than dreams / The name of the Lord

In the days of trouble / You cover me / In the secret place of refuge / Lord, I will sing / So I pray to You, I pray / So I pray to You

Lord, Your name / Is higher than the heavens / Lord, Your name / Is higher than all created things / Higher than hope / Higher than dreams / The name of the Lord

A Reading from the Letters of Paul: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 (NLT)

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”

Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!
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For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News — and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 4:12-23 (NLT)

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

“In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers — Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew — throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.

Intercessions:

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” (Isaiah 9:2)

Heavenly Father – Let the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, shine on us.

+ That the people of God may be like greats light shining in the darkness – announcing the Good News of Your Kingdom to every tribe and nation.

+ That the leaders of this world may turn away from the darkness of evil in all its forms – abandoning all self-interest to follow Jesus.

+ That the people of God may bring rays of hope into the lives of those who suffer – giving justice to the oppressed, human dignity to every person, and aid and comfort to those who cannot help themselves.

+ That those who search and grope in life may discover Christ as the answer to their quest for love, goodness and truth – experiencing for themselves Your healing mercies.

+ That the people of God may become one in You – bringing peace and unity into our homes, our communities, our nation.

+ That the world-wide community of faith may live together in harmony in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives… delighting in Your beauty and dwelling in Your presence.

Most powerful Holy Spirit, come down upon us and subdue us. Bathe us with the brilliance of Your light like dew from heaven, where the ordinary is made glorious, and glory seems but ordinary. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Until The Whole World Hears” – Casting Crowns

Lord, I want to feel your heart / And see the world through your eyes / I want to be your hands and feet / I want to live a life that leads / Ready yourselves, ready yourselves / Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night / Ready yourselves, ready yourselves / May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise

Until the whole world hears, Lord, we are calling out / Lifting up your name for all to hear the sound / Like voices in the wilderness, we’re crying out / And as the day draws near / We’ll sing until the whole world hears

Lord, let your sleeping giant rise / Catch the demons by surprise / Holy nation sanctified / Let this be our battle cry

Ready yourselves, ready yourselves / Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night / Ready yourselves, ready yourselves / May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise

We’ll sing until the whole world hears / We’ll sing until the whole world hears

I want to be your hands and feet / I want live a life that leads / To see you set the captive free / Until the whole world hears / And I pray that they will see / More of you and less of me / Lord, I want my life to be / The song You sing

Until the whole world hears, Lord, we are calling out / Lifting your name up for all to hear the sound / Like voices in the wilderness, we’re crying out / And as the day draws near / We’ll sing until the whole world hears…

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Victory against the HHS Mandate: Way to Go Little Sisters!

Biltrix

Meet the Little Sisters of the Poor

Are they not religious enough for a religious exemption from the government’s HHS Mandate? President Obama and his administration don’t think so, but fortunately, the Supreme Court does — at least for now. Thank God!

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Morning Prayer, 25 Jan – John 5:1-18 ~ do you want to be healed

Morning Prayer

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentence – Oswald of Northumbria (605-42)

This day is Your gift to me; I take it, Lord, from Your hand and thank You for the wonder of it.

Lord, hasten the day when those who fear You in every nnation will come from the east and west, from north and south, and sit at table in Your Kingdom. And, Lord, let Your glory be seen in our land.

Morning readings

John 5:1-18 ESV:

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids — blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Reflections / Prayer:

Exercise in futility

The man is there with no one to help him. So here is an unpredictable source of healing that can affect only a few people, and this man has no hope of getting healed anyway because he cannot get to the pool. In other words, this is a situation of utter hopelessness and futility.

But while the man cannot get to the pool, Jesus can get to him. The man is met by the one who is the stable, constant source not just of healing but of life itself, indeed, of eternal life.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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Revealing question

What would we say to Jesus if he asked us whether we wanted to be healed of our own illnesses, physical or otherwise? Do we want to be rid of our addictions and other sins? Ten minutes hard thought on this question could lead us to new depths of repentance.

God finds each of us as helpless as this man. The good news is that he desires to grant each of us life, not necessarily mere healing in this life, but eternal life beginning now.
(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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Conversion of St Paul (This feast is celebrated in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran churches and concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.)

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. For some… have told me about your quarrels….

Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! …For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News — and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

1 Corinthians 1:1-17 NLT

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Christian Unity

Together we proclaim anew the good news prophesied in Isaiah, fulfilled in our Lord Jesus, preached by the Apostle Paul, and received by the Church. Facing honestly the differences we have and the labels of denomination we embrace, may we never lose sight of the common mandate we have in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul is sent “to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power” (1 Cor 1:17). The path to unity is to be found in the power of the cross.

The Gospel we proclaim is made tangible and relevant to us as we bear witness to the work of Jesus Christ in our own lives and the life of the Christian community.
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Canticle:

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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Peanut Gallery: A brief word of explanation – the general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) The Scripture readings are primarily from the Gospel of John, with the intent to complete the reading by Easter. Other Scriptures which illuminate the Gospel of John will be included along the way.

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

Morning Prayer, 24 Jan – John 4:46-54 ~ the Giver of Life

Morning Prayer

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentence – Oswald of Northumbria (605-42)

This day is Your gift to me; I take it, Lord, from Your hand and thank You for the wonder of it.

May I feel Your presence at the heart of my desire, and so know it for Your desire for me. Thus shall I prosper, thus see that my purpose is from You, thus have the power to do the good which endures.

Morning readings

John 4:46-54 ESV:

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

Reflections / Prayer:

A father’s faith

Faith is belief that God is who and what Jesus reveals him to be, the loving Father, and it is trust in this God. This official seems to have something of this faith.

This faith is confirmed and deepened when he learns of his son’s recovery. His faith in Jesus as one who is willing and able to heal the son of a Herodian official progressed to faith in Jesus’ bare word.

Now at the end of the story it is simply said that he believed, with no other qualifiers. Jesus is the giver of life.(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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The signs of glory

Twice now Jesus has moved into Galilee, and both times he has performed signs that have pointed to God’s gratuitous generosity: the first one, at the wedding, and the second one involving healing.

These two signs in Galilee stand in contrast to the many signs he did in Jerusalem, for each of them are received in faith by someone, whereas the signs in Jerusalem were not.

Now Jesus will go to Jerusalem again, and this time he will perform a provocative, revelatory act that is grasped by the Jewish opponents… but received with hostility.(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series)

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St Francis de Sales (21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) Roman Catholic Church

“The greatest defect we have in our prayers and in all that happens to us, particularly in that which concerns tribulations, is our lack of confidence … Faith is great or little according to the measure of our confidence.” ― St. Francis de Sales

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Canticle:

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

_____________________________________

Reflections from various saints will be included as their memorial days occur during the calendar year.

On Sundays, I’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world.

Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.

9 (More) Things You Should Know About Roe v. Wade ~ Reblog

THE GOSPEL COALITION

Joe Carter
TGC Blog | January 22, 2014

Today is the forty-first anniversary of the landmark abortion decision, Roe v. Wade, in which the Supreme Court eliminated the abortion laws of all 50 states, and in the companion case of Doe v. Bolton — which was released on the same day — which eliminated state health and safety regulations of abortion. Last year I noted nine things everyone should know about Roe. Here are nine more:

1. The case was filed by Norma McCorvey, known in court documents as Jane ROE against Henry WADE, the district attorney of Dallas County from 1951 to 1987, who enforced a Texas law that prohibited abortion, except to save a woman’s life.

2. In 1969, McCorvey was 22 years old, divorced, homeless, and pregnant for the third time (she had placed her first two children for adoption). An adoption agency connected her with two young lawyers fresh out of law school who were eager to challenge the Texas statutes on abortion. McCorvey only met with her lawyers twice-once for beer and pizza, the other time to sign an affidavit (which she didn’t read). In order to speed things up McCorvey lied and told them she had been raped. She never appeared in court, and she found out about the infamous ruling from the newspapers. The baby she was seeking to abort was born and placed for adoption.

3. When McCorvey met her lawyers she didn’t know the meaning of “abortion.” Her lawyers told her that abortion just dealt with a piece of tissue, and that it was like passing a period rather than the termination of a distinct, living, and whole human organism. Abortion was a taboo topic in 1970, and Norma had dropped out of school at the age of 14. She knew that John Wayne movies talked about “aborting the mission,” so she thought it meant to “go back”—as in, going back to not being pregnant. She honestly believed “abortion” meant a child was prevented from coming into existence.

4. In the late-1990s, McCorvey was working at a Dallas abortion clinic when the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue moved its offices next door. She says Rev. Phillip Benham, Operation Rescue’s national director, started “sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ” with her. She later became a Christian and committed pro-life advocate.

5. Together, Roe and Doe effectively forbid states from prohibiting abortion even in the final stages of pregnancy. The Court said (in the 1992 Casey decision) that “[w]e reject the trimester framework, which we do not consider to be part of the essential holding of Roe.”

6. The Court’s majority relied heavily on popular, but unproved and later disproved, 1970s-era evidence that there was an urgent need for population control in the United States. As legal scholar Clark Forsythe explains, “Fear of ‘the population crisis’ was a huge influence. [The Court] drank that in without any trial or evidence or expert opinion in the lower courts. There was no evidence. There was no record. They absorbed that through the media.”

7. Without any record evidence, the court in 1973 also adopted the medical myth that “abortion was safer than childbirth.” That influential myth, says Forsythe, has been told to millions of women considering abortion ever since. “It was wrong in 1973, and it’s wrong today. The myth is based on the mechanical comparison of the published U.S. maternal (childbirth) mortality rate and the published U.S. abortion mortality rate. These two rates are like apples and oranges; what goes into their numerators and denominators is completely different.”

8. Many pro-life advocates mistakenly believe that state laws to define human life as beginning at conception (or fertilization) would pose as challenge to Roe. But as Forsythe notes, “no state can – by statute or constitutional amendment – change the meaning of the 14th Amendment to the federal constitution.” Additionally, he explains, “not one justice on the current Supreme Court supports the proposition that the unborn are protected as “persons” within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. Not one. All have rejected it, explicitly or implicitly.”

9. Many Americans believe the myth that “overturning” Roe would make abortion immediately illegal everywhere. However, most states have repealed their pre-Roe prohibitions. Fifteen other states have state judicial versions of Roe that would prevent any prohibitions. The reality is that if Roe were overturned today, abortion would be legal tomorrow, up to viability, in at least 42 states and probably all 50.

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