"The Year For Priests" at:
--> http://www.presentationministries.com/BST/latestBST.asp
Pope Benedict XVI, Shepherd of Truth is designed as a bulletin insert
which you can use at your local church to keep up to date on what the Holy
Father is saying. You are free to reproduce it for this purpose.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, July 25, 2009, St. James
2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Psalm 126:1-6, Matthew 20:20-28
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/072509.shtml
EARTHEN VESSELS AND BLOOD-VESSELS
"This treasure we possess in earthen vessels." —2 Corinthians 4:7
Part of today's first reading is very popular. We seem to get much
satisfaction from thinking of ourselves as "earthen vessels." Certainly we
are weak and fragile. The emphasis in the New Testament, however, is not
on our weakness but on the Lord's power and our greatness in Him. We are
"a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people He claims for
His own" (1 Pt 2:9). We are greater than the greatest people of the Old
Testament: Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others (Mt
11:11). We can even do greater by far than Jesus did (Jn 14:12).
We are earthen vessels, but nonetheless the most expensive vessels of all
time. We were bought at the price of Jesus' blood (1 Cor 6:19-20). Through
His incarnation, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, the human
person, and especially the Christian, has been raised to an awesome
dignity. We are precious and chosen. We have every reason to love
ourselves (see Mt 22:39). We also have every reason to reject the petty
pleasures of the world, because they are beneath our dignity as children
of God and temples of the Spirit.
Yes, we are earthen vessels, but more importantly we are tabernacles where
God has chosen to dwell.
Prayer: Father, may my self-image be appropriate to the fact that You sent
Your Son to die for me.
Promise: "Indeed, everything is ordered to your benefit, so that the grace
bestowed in abundance may bring greater glory to God because they who give
thanks are many." —2 Cor 4:15
Praise: St. James fled in fear from the cross, but by the power of the
Spirit he later embraced it.
(Looking ahead, we offer a retreat Sept. 11-12 entitled "Healing the
Broken-Hearted". Whatever the cause, come for healing from the Great
Physician, Jesus. Call 937-587-5464 or 513-373-2397 for information or to
register.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from June
1, 2009 through July 31, 2009
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, January 5, 2009
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB
eBook edition, and an online donation form at
http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © 2009 Presentation Ministries
To add your e-mail address to this list go to
http://www.presentationministries.com/general/emailList.asp
To remove your e-mail address from this list go to
http://www.presentationministries.com/general/emailList.asp?mode=r
No comments:
Post a Comment