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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
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To trivia or not: |
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Answers to last week's
trivia: |
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What name did the Lord give Jacob after he
wrestled an angel? |
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Jacob the Wrestler |
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Israel |
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Esau |
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Isaac |
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Jacob the Wrestler is a made up name |
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Esau is Jacob's twin brother who plotted
to kill Jacob because of impersonating
Esau so as to get their father Isaac's
blessing. |
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Isaac is the father of the twin brothers
Esau and Jacob. |
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This week's
trivia: |
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Where did Joseph, son of Jacob, end up after
being sold as a slave? |
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Israel |
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Canaan |
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Egypt |
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Dead |
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Expiration Date |
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A
Lesson from
Joseph's Bondage in Egypt |
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One of the TV advertisements recently caught
my eye. It talked about a woman named Peggy
who was diagnosed with cancer and given a few
months to live by the doctors. The ad went
on about how she changed hospitals, went
through treatment and succeeded in beating the
odds.
Starting with
Genesis 37, the old testament retells
the story of Joseph, which I believe is
perhaps one of the best stories in the Old
Testament illustrating how ancient sibling
rivalry is and how God moves. |
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To summarize, Joseph became the favorite
son of Jacob, who was given the name
Israel by the LORD after wrestling with an
angel. Israel gave Joseph a coat of many
colors as a symbol of his affection for
him. Joseph became Israel's trusted son
and his eyes among his brothers. Out of
jealousy, his brothers plotted to murder
him out in the field. One of Joseph's
brother prevailed and convinced the others
to spare Joseph's life and sell him off to
a passing caravan instead. They drenched
Joseph's coat of many colors with animal
blood and showed it to Israel, who grieved
by the news concluded wrongly that wild
animals devoured his favorite son. |
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After being sold to a caravan, Joseph ended up
in Egypt and with the LORD's blessings quickly
caught the eyes of Pharaoh for interpreting
dreams that none of his magicians were able to
interpret. One of Pharaoh's dreams that
Jacob interpreted warned of a coming long
period of drought. Pharaoh made Joseph second
only to his command, in charge of the harvests
and food in all of Egypt. Joseph managed his
duties with the LORD's blessings well so that
when the drought came, there was food in all
of Egypt that everyone in the lands wanted to
buy for their own families. Israel ordered
his other sons to go to Egypt to buy food.
There, they met their brother Joseph, whom
they did not recognize. Joseph of course
recognized they immediately, but first played
some pranks with them.
Joseph's story is quite lengthy and in the
link above will lead you to the story
His Youth, how
Joseph became The Caretaker of All Egypt,
the
Reunion with his Brothers and the
Reunion with his Father. |
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In the cancer story above, Peggy was given a
date to expect to die. The unfortunate fact
about this is that this is not a mere
melodramatic story that an ad agency conjured
up to evoke and catch my attention and well as
millions of others so we will use the best
cancer treatment center in their world. The
unfortunate fact is that this actually
happens. I know of a friend who was given 6
months but lived on for a few more years on
"borrowed" time. I also read several accounts
of people surviving all sorts of illnesses
that the medical profession declared as
un-survivable.
Starting in
Genesis 37 the Bible tells us
otherwise. His brothers plotted to kill him
and instead sold him as a slave but with the
grace of God became second only to Pharaoh in
charge of the food that with later sustain the
lands. It tells us that no matter what we
humans do or plan on doing, we do not control
nor can we look into the future.
Some people of course claim to do just that
- look into our future and tell us when we
die, or what will happen to us. And once we
are absolutely convinced of that, we work
ourselves towards that end. After all a doctor
told us so, and they cannot be wrong, right?
Nothing can be further from the truth. Only
God knows what is in the future. More
importantly, only God knows our expiration
dates. |
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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 19, 2009
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First Reading From
the
Book of the
Prophet Jeremiah: |
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Jer 23:1-6 |
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Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the
flock of my pasture, says the LORD. Therefore,
thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the
shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them, but I will take care
to punish your evil deeds. I myself will gather
the remnant of my flock from all the lands to
which I have driven them and bring them back to
their meadow; there they shall increase and
multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will
shepherd them so that they need no longer fear and
tremble; and none shall be missing, says the LORD.
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I
will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king
he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what
is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall
dwell in security. This is the name they give him:
"The LORD our justice." |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 |
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R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is
nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I
shall want. |
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Second Reading from the Letter to the
Ephesians |
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Eph 2:13-18 |
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Brothers and sisters:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have
become near by the blood of Christ.For he is
our peace, he who made both one and broke down the
dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal
claims, that he might create in himself one new
person in place of the two, thus establishing
peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one
body, through the cross, putting that enmity to
death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far
off and peace to those who were near, for through
him we both have access in one Spirit to the
Father. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of Mark:
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Mk 6:30-34 |
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The apostles gathered together with Jesus and
reported all they had done and taught. He said
to them,
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and
rest a while." People were coming and going in
great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to
eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to
a deserted place. People saw them leaving and
many came to know about it. They hastened there on
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foot from all the towns and arrived at the
place before them. When he disembarked and saw
the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for
them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. |
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References |
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Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life
by
Charles J. Chaput
(Author)
“At a time
when the ‘faith and values’ vote has never
been more important, Archbishop Charles Chaput
deftly explores the intersection of morality,
reason, and politics. |
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This isn’t
just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who
cares about the state of America’s soul —and
how that concern might shape the 2008
elections.”
—John
L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican
correspondent,
Amazon |
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Happiness Is a Serious
Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual
by Dennis Prager.
In this unique blend of self-help and moral
philosophy, talk-radio host Dennis Prager
asserts that we're actually obligated to be
happy, because it makes us better people.
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Praying With Frederic Ozanam (Companions for the Journey Series)
- Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) |
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Praying With Louise De Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series)
by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves
(Author) |
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Praying with Vincent de Paul (Companions for the
Journey)
2004, by Thomas McKenna
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The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force ....
(Paperback)
by
Rodney Stark (Author)
From the Publisher |
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"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire is already the
subject of much fanfare. "Anyone who
has puzzled over Christianity's rise to
dominance... must read it," ...
Read
the first page. |
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Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities - Year B - 2009
by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann
Zimmerman (Author), Thomas A. Greisen (Author),
S.N.D. de N. Kathleen Harmon (Author), M.S.
Thomas L. Leclerc (Author) |
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"Perfect for home use or to prepare for weekly
liturgy . . . It includes help for the
celebration, ideas for catechesis on the
particular event, and ways to understand the
readings more deeply. Finally, it includes
sample questions from which priests, deacons,
lay groups, ministers and others can jump off
into deeper discussion." |
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Straight Answers, Answers to 100 Questions about
the Catholic Faith
by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by:
Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response |
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to the many questions
concerning the Catholic Church. It spells out
profound truths in very simple language for all
who seek a better understanding of their Faith.
I highly recommend it for Catholics, both young
and old. |
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The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon: |
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After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel: Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
as |
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it walks you through a
pivotal period in Israel’s history, and
illustrative maps will give you a better
picture of the physical geography of this
ancient land. |
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The First Book of Kings (Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the Old Testament) This
volume of commentary on the New English Bible text of the First Book of Kings
follows the pattern of the now well-established series on the Old and New
Testaments. The main divisions of the text are those provided |
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by the New English Bible
itself, but these are further subdivided for the
purposes of the commentary, which is printed in
short sections following the relevant portion of
the text.
Canon Robinson suggests that the editors of I
Kings compiled their history in order to teach
the Hebrews that their existence as Israel, the
covenant people of God, depended upon their
continuing loyalty to their own religious
traditions, and their refusal to exchange them
for the very different traditions of the
Canaanites among whom they lived.
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I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library)
First sentence in
the book:
""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that
part of the history of Israel which describes
the foundation of the State, running from the
close of the period of the Judges to the
establishment of the united kingdom." |
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Read more about the Liturgical Year |
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The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo
Books)
by
Thomas J. Talley
(Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year. |
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The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday)
by
John J. Pilch (Author)
Reader
Review: The book by Pilch provides those
who not only fill the pulpits across this
country but also all interested in the |
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cultural world in which Jesus lived with a lot
of pertinent information that sheds light on a
lot of areas that have been "muddled" in the
past. Yes, I highly recommend this book. -
James Mauldin |
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Learn more and read the Old Testament. |
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Preaching from the Old Testament
by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader
Review: The author of these
thirty-two short chapters begins and ends
with the assumption that problems we
experience with the Old Testament are our
problem, not the Bible's. This
subordinating of the Bible reader to the
well-weathered book he holds in his hand
opens doors, not to forced
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harmonisations
of problematic passages, but to fresh
reappraisal of difficult texts on their
own terms. -
David A. Baer |
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The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament)
This volume helps you make the first five
books of the Old Testament a vital part of
your spiritual reading and practical
growth in the Christian life. It contains
the full English and Latin texts of these
books, along with extensive and
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faithfully Catholic
commentaries. Like other volumes in the
world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these
commentaries draw on Church documents, the
exegesis of Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary
spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría
Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible
project. |
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Comments and
Suggestions are Most Welcome.
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comments or contributions, please
use the form in this link.
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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© 2006. My Catholic Tradition. All rights reserved |
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Rey
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