FRIDAY AFTER TRINITY VII11 JULY 08
LECTIONARY READINGS
Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
LECTIONARY READINGS
Morning Prayer: Psalm 86; 1 Samuel 10:1-11; Luke 14:15-24
Evening Prayer: Psalm 91; Danuel 5:10-16; Acts 24:24-25:12
REFLECTION
Today, looking at the reading from Gospel of St. Luke found in Morning Prayer, we see Jesus giving a parable about the Kingdom of God. Again, the idea is that the Kingdom of God isn’t only something far off in the future far removed from life right now as we know it. The Kingdom of God is now, right now, and should be a part of everything we do. The parable speaks of “a certain man” who sends his servants out into the streets to invite many to dinner. All of those who are invited to dinner have excuses of one kind or another. Upon hearing of all these excuses from his servants, the man tells them to go out and to “bring in the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.” That being done, there was still room left. The servants are sent out to ”compel” others to come in and be seated at the table for a feast.
What an amazing image of the Kingdom of God. How often do we see the Church going out to invite certain people, especially those who may be said to be on the ”official” invitation list, people to the feast only to find that there are all kinds of excuses given not to be there. Do we see the Church going out to invite those who may not be on the invitation list, those we may feel are less worthy or appropriate, those we may find personally objectionable, those the world puts on a lower level of social acceptability? If not, why not? If not, do we challenge the Church to do so? In our world today, in our own neighbourhoods and cultural contexts and in various way both physically and socially…who are the poor, maimed, halt, and blind?
Dear friends in Christ, may we accept the challenge of our Lord to be about the work of the Good News of Jesus Christ to extend the invitation to EVERYONE. There will be some people who will refuse such a glorious to feast sumptuously in the Kingdom of God, but there will be many who will accept the invitation and find satisfaction, restoration, healing, and renewal. Thanks be to God!
Be blessed in Christ!
Fr. Greg
THE COLLECT FOR THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE SAINT OF THE DAY
St. Benedict, Abbot of Nursia (480-543)
It is unfortunate that no contemporary biography was written of a man who has exercised measureless influence on monasticism in the West. Benedict is well recognized in the later Dialogues of St. Gregory, but these are sketches to illustrate miraculous elements of his career.
Benedict was born of a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome and early in life was drawn to the monastic life. At first he became a hermit, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march, the Church torn by schism, people suffering from war, morality at a low ebb.
Benedict was born of a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome and early in life was drawn to the monastic life. At first he became a hermit, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march, the Church torn by schism, people suffering from war, morality at a low ebb.
He soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small town any better than in a large city, so he withdrew to a cave high in the mountains for three years. Some monks chose him as their leader for a while, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still, the shift from hermit to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity, fraternity, permanent worship in one house. Finally he began to build what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world—Monte Cassino, commanding three narrow valleys running toward the mountain.
The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor and living together in community under a common father (abbot). Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict.
The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor and living together in community under a common father (abbot). Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict.
Today the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the Benedictine Federation and the Cistercians.
***from americancatholic.org***
THE COLLECT FOR ST BENEDICT
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the prayers of thy holy Abbot, blessed Benedict may commend us unto thee : that we, who have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, may by his advocacy find favour in thy sight. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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