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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
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Trivia or not?: |
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Answers to last 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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This week's
trivia: |
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While Egypt Joseph, was sent to jail for what
false accusation? |
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Stealing gold |
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Killing a guard |
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Having an affair with Pharaoh's wife |
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Helping his brothers |
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A
Lesson from |
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The Parable of the Sower |
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From Matthew 13:1-9 |
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On that day, Jesus went out of the
house and sat down by the sea. Such
large crowds gathered around him that he
got into a boat and sat down, and the
whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in
parables, saying:
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"A sower went out to sow. And as he
sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds
came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had
little soil. It sprang up at once because
the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose
it was scorched, and it withered for lack of
roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the
thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed
fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a
hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
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The best explanation is what Jesus actually
said in Matthew
13:18-23 |
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The seed sown on the path is the one who
hears the word of the kingdom without
understanding it, and the evil one comes and
steals away what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground is the one
who hears the word and receives it at once
with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a
time. When some tribulation or persecution
comes because of the word, he immediately
falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who
hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and
the lure of riches choke the word and it
bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil is the one
who hears the word and understands it, who
indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or
sixty or thirtyfold."
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How can one improve on these words?
It is very easy for us to feel high and
mighty and believe that we, as practicing
Catholics are in rich soil and thus will be
blest by the LORD many times over.
Upon reflection, this feeling of having
done exactly what we think the LORD told us to
do is what He is warning us: The self
secure knowledge that we are saved just
because we "accept the LORD as our God and
Savior" may not at all exist.
Who knows if the rich soil on which we
think we are standing is just an illusion?
This one great struggle that I believe we
have to expose ourselves daily, just in case
we have that feeling of knowing for certain
that we are saved.
Think about it, if I knew that I'd be saved
then I know God's mind. And extending that to
the point of the ridiculous, then I'd be God.
Nothing can be farther from the truth.
Be wary. Believe. |
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Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 26, 2009
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First Reading From
the
Second
Book of Kings: |
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2 Kgs 4:42-44 |
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A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha,
the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the
firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha
said, “Give it to the people to eat.”
But his servant objected,
“How can I set this before a hundred people?”
Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to
eat.”
“For thus says the LORD,
'They shall eat and there shall be some left
over.’”
And when they had eaten, there was some left
over, as the LORD had said. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18 |
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R. (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he
answers all our needs.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers
all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers
all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers
all our needs. |
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Second Reading from the Letter to the
Ephesians |
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Eph 4:1-6 |
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Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a
manner worthy of the call you have received, with
all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love, striving to
preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond
of peace:one body and one Spirit, as you were
also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of John:
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Jn 6:1-15 |
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Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large
crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he
was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat
down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of
Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and
saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said
to Philip,
“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him, because he himself
knew what he was going to do. |
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Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not
be enough for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of
Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who
has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good
are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”
Now there was a great deal of grass in that
place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in
number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and
distributed them to those who were reclining, and
also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his
disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing
will be wasted.”
So they collected them, and filled twelve
wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley
loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they
said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come
into the world.”
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come
and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew
again to the mountain alone. |
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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.
If you have any
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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Rey
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