(Optional Memorial for Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin)
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Faustina Kowalska
Additional information about St. Faustina Kowalska
Or
(Optional Memorial for Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest)
[In the Dioceses of the United States]
Readings selected for the Memorial of Bl Francis Xavier Seelos [1]
Biographical information about Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
[In the Dioceses of the United States]
“The Lord’s Prayer” by James Tissot, 1886-96 |
Brothers and sisters:
After fourteen years I again went up to
taking Titus along also.
I went up in accord with a revelation,
and I presented to them the Gospel that I preach to the Gentiles–
but privately to those of repute–
so that I might not be running, or have run, in vain.
On the contrary,
when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel to the uncircumcised,
just as Peter to the circumcised,
for the one who worked in Peter for an apostolate to the circumcised
worked also in me for the Gentiles,
and when they recognized the grace bestowed upon me,
James and Cephas and John,
who were reputed to be pillars,
gave me and Barnabas their right hands in partnership,
that we should go to the Gentiles
and they to the circumcised.
Only, we were to be mindful of the poor,
which is the very thing I was eager to do.
And when Cephas came to
I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong.
For, until some people came from James,
he used to eat with the Gentiles;
but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself,
because he was afraid of the circumcised.
And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him,
with the result that even Barnabas
was carried away by their hypocrisy.
But when I saw that they were not on the right road
in line with the truth of the Gospel,
I said to Cephas in front of all,
“If you, though a Jew,
are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew,
how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
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Commentary on Gal 2:1-2, 7-14
In this passage from the Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul relates the events of his second trip to Jerusalem, also referred to in Acts 15:1-12. It is clear from these accounts that the reason for the trip was to resolve any differences between the rules applied to Jewish Christians and those applied to Gentile Christians, especially the rule concerning circumcision. Taking with him two Gentile Christians, Barnabas (who later founded the churches of Crete) and Titus (who became a missionary also) the evangelist describes how he met with the “pillars” (styloi) of the Mother Church of Jerusalem.
St. Paul goes on to relate how St. James (the head of the church in Jerusalem), St. Peter (leader of the Apostles), and St. John (son of Zebedee) all agreed, first that his message was consistent with the Gospel St. Paul had received from Christ and taught to the “uncircumcised,” and second accepted it without changes. They further agreed that the mission of the Twelve was to the Jews, and St. Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles, although this should be seen as a geographical division since St. Paul frequently began his evangelization in a region by speaking first to the Jews. (See also Romans 15:17-19.) The symbolism of “their right hands in partnership” establishes St. Paul on an equal footing with the Apostles.
The second part of the reading deals with St. Peter traveling to Antioch. Arriving alone, he adopted St. Paul’s manners of eating communally with the Gentiles. However, when a delegation from Jerusalem arrived (presumably from St. James), he seemed to revert to separating himself from them, and ritually observing the dietary laws of Judaism. St. Paul confronted him on this point (again emphasizing his equality with St. Peter), and seals a breach in the unity of Christians regardless of their ancestry – Jew or Gentile. All were one in Christ.
CCC: Gal 2:10 886
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the Lord, all you nations,
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
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Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2
“This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God's supremacy. The supremacy of Israel's God has been demonstrated to them by the people's secure existence, which is owed entirely to God's gracious fidelity.”[5] Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 16:15), the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
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Gospel: Luke 11:1-4
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”
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Commentary on Lk 11:1-4
Notes on the meaning of the various parts of the prayer are numerous. (See also CCC 2759 - 2865.) The short message in the Gospel is: “This is an appropriate way to speak to God.” The seven petitions of the prayer begin with an acknowledgement of God’s existence and omnipotence, praising his holiness. It continues with our further desire that the “will of God,” which creates his Heavenly Kingdom, may also rule on earth (your name; your kingdom; your will).
The next three petitions ask for grace and protection. The first of these is a petition to the Father that we be given nourishment, food for the body and (Eucharistic) food for the spirit, "our daily bread.” This petition is followed by a plea for forgiveness, a tacit admission that we have all sinned and all need God’s salvation. The second part of this petition is a promise that we will attempt to follow Christ’s example, forgiving others as we have been forgiven. The prayer concludes with a final petition that we not be tested as our Lord was tested by the evil one; encouraged to forego his own passion thus condemning the world to sin and death.
CCC: Lk 11:1 520, 2601, 2759, 2773; Lk 11:2-4 2759; Lk 11:2 2632; Lk 11:4 1425, 2845
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Reflection:
[1] The readings are selected by the author. Others may be taken from the Common of Pastors: For Missionaries (#719-724).
[2] The picture used today is “The Lord’s Prayer” by James Tissot, 1886-96.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] NAB Footnote on Psalm 117.
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