CHOKE-HOLD - One Bread, One Body, 1/30/2008

Fr. Lauer's Bible Study of The Acts of the Apostles is now online. This
is a great resource for your Bible Study. Listen online, download as an
MP3 or order the tapes from our ministry center.

http://www.presentationministries.com/tapes/tapes.asp?mode=mp3
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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

2 Samuel 7:4-17, Psalm 89:4-5, 27-30, Mark 4:1-20
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/013008.shtml

CHOKE-HOLD

"They have listened to the word, but anxieties over life's demands, and
the desire for wealth, and cravings of other sorts come to choke it off;
it bears no yield." —Mark 4:18-19

Jehoiakim took the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies, cut it up, and
burnt it (Jer 36:23). The consequence to Jehoiakim's desecration of the
word was: "No descendant of his shall succeed to David's throne; his
corpse shall be cast out, exposed to the heat of the day, to the cold
night. I will punish him and his descendants and his ministers for their
wickedness" (Jer 36:30-31). Like Jehoiakim, the Seleucids also tore up and
burnt "any scrolls of the law which they found" (1 Mc 1:56). They were
defeated and their leader died of extreme depression (1 Mc 6:8-11).

We choke God's word by our sinfulness. We should not do violence against
the word but yield to it. "Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in
you" (Col 3:16). "Humbly welcome the word that has taken root in you" (Jas
1:21). At Mass, we have the custom of kissing the Bible after the reading
of the Gospel. However, we must respect God's word not only by reverencing
the Book but also by living and obeying the message of the Scriptures.
Whether we choke God's word through worldly cares or physically
desecrating the Scriptures, we still "choke it off" so that His word
"bears no yield" (Mk 4:19).

Let's not do violence against God's word. The Lord says: "This is the one
whom I approve; the lowly and afflicted man who trembles at My word" (Is
66:2).

Prayer: Father, may I kiss the Scriptures not out of habit but out of
love.

Promise: "Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before Me." —2
Sm 7:16

Praise: Twenty-seven years ago, Edgar promised the Lord he would read
Scripture every day, and he has kept that promise.

(For a related teaching, order our tape "Spiritual Anorexia" on audio AV
101-1 or video V-101.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
December 1, 2007 through January 31, 2008
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July
30, 2007

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.

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