MASS READINGS AND MEDITATION | JUNE 25, 2020

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name was Nehushta,
daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
He did evil in the sight of the LORD,
just as his forebears had done.

At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
himself arrived at the city
while his servants were besieging it.
Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother,
his ministers, officers, and functionaries,
surrendered to the king of Babylon, who,
in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive.
And he carried off all the treasures
of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace,
and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel,
had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold.
He deported all Jerusalem:
all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number,
and all the craftsmen and smiths.
None were left among the people of the land except the poor.
He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon,
and also led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon
the king’s mother and wives,
his functionaries, and the chief men of the land.
The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon
all seven thousand men of the army,
and a thousand craftsmen and smiths,
all of them trained soldiers.
In place of Jehoiachin,
the king of Babylon appointed his uncle Mattaniah king,
and changed his name to Zedekiah.

R. (9) For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the corpses of your servants
as food to the birds of heaven,
the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.

R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
They have poured out their blood like water
round about Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury them.
We have become the reproach of our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.
O LORD, how long? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy burn like fire?

R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.

R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.

R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

VI. Necessary Adaptations

23 The Catechism emphasizes the exposition of doctrine. It seeks to help deepen understanding of faith. In this way it is oriented towards the maturing of that faith, its putting down roots in personal life, and its shining forth in personal conduct.17

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

THURSDAY, JUNE 25^TH  Mt. 7:21-29 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

• They might well say that He teaches with authority! Jesus is telling them He is the one who will decide who enters the Kingdom of heaven! He’s revealing Himself as Sovereign Judge on the day of our judgment!
• St. Catherine of Siena said the two most important moments in our life are the present moment and the moment of our death, for we want to be faithful to Christ to the end. Pope Francis adds the moment after we die for that is when we will stand before Christ in judgment.
• Jesus is very clear and to the point! It is not enough to say to Him, “Lord, Lord!” Rather, our prayer must be accompanied by a compete surrender of our will to the will of our heavenly Father! This is how Jesus lived and died! ^“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” (Mt. 26:39)
• Let us examine ourselves… Is there consistency between the truths of Christ as preserved and taught by His holy Church and what we say and do? “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (Jas 1:22)
• Are we faithful to our state in life – as a single person, married person, religious or priest? If we’re married, are we faithful to the vows we made before God to our spouse? Do we work through our problems in marriage or seek help from a priest or counselor when we are at an impasse? Do we accept each other’s imperfections? Are we quick to forgive and even quicker to ask for forgiveness? Are we pure and chaste in our marital relations? Do we follow the Church’s teachings on openness to life? With our children, do we attend Sunday Mass (in person or live stream in this time of Covid-19), go to confession monthly, pray the Rosary as a family daily? “The family that prays together, stays together!” (Ven. Fr. Patrick Peyton)
• As a vowed religious, are we obedient to our Superior? Obedient to the Charism and Rules of our Community? Do we foster a deep prayer life and sacramental life? Do we participate fully, actively, and joyfully in the work of our community? Do we strive to live in fraternal charity?
• As a single person do we foster a deep prayer and sacramental life? Do we live chaste lives, with particular attention to our choice of friends and activities? Do we use the gift of availability to serve our family, our neighbor, and God’s people?
• Whatever our state in life, do we take our spiritual life seriously? This is spiritual warfare – are we prepared for daily battle? Do we fortify ourselves with frequent Confession, and Mass and Holy Communion? Our daily holy hour? Other daily prayers and penances? Do we fight vigorously against sin and our seven capital tendencies? Do we strive to overcome even our faults and imperfections? Do we pray to Our Blessed Mother daily for her help, protection, and encouragement? Mary is Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! Praying the Rosary daily is holding Mary’s hand so she can lead us safely to heaven!
• Love covers a multitude of sins. Are we charitable with others in our own home? In our Church? In our Community? Moving out of ourselves to touch others with patience, kindness, and good works is an antidote to pride and selfishness!
• Do we seek direction from a confessor/spiritual director at least monthly, distrustful of our darkened intellect, weakened will, and infinite capacity for self-deception?
• Even when we experience personal difficulties, even when we experience dissent within the Church, even when we are surrounded by an erroneous and sinful society… if we are faithful and persevere in doing the will of the Father, we are standing on the Rock that is Jesus Christ and we will be saved! What a promise!
• “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Ps 18:2)
• When, oh when, will I let You lead, Lord, and be content to follow? When, oh when, will I let You give, Lord, and be content to receive? When, oh when, Lord, will I let You possess me entirely, until there is nothing left of me that is not part of You!

Doing the Will of God… A Reflection by Pope Francis

We must ask God for the desire to do His will. The opposite began in Paradise with Adam’s failure to obey. And that disobedience brought evil to the whole of humanity. And sins too are acts of disobedience towards God, of not doing God’s will. 

The Lord teaches us instead that this is the path, there is no other one. And it begins with Jesus in Heaven, in His desire to obey the Father. But here on earth it begins with Our Lady: what did she say to the Angel? “Let it be done to me according to your word,” namely that God’s will is carried out. And with that “Yes” to the Lord, our Lord began His journey amongst us.

Do I pray that the Lord gives me the desire to do His will, or do I look for compromises because I’m afraid of God’s will? There are so many things. The way in which we handle things. Praying for the desire to do God’s will and praying to know God’s will. And when I know God’s will, praying again for the third time, to follow it. To carry out that will, which is not my own, it is His will. And all this is not easy.

Following God’s will is not easy. Even for Jesus it wasn’t easy when He faced temptations in the wilderness or in the Garden of Olives. And it wasn’t easy either for His disciples, and neither is it easy for us, when each day we are faced with so many different options, and that’s why we need the gift of God’s grace.

The Lord grants His grace to all of us so that one day He can say about us the same thing that He said about that group, that crowd who followed Him, those who were seated around Him, just as we have heard in the Gospel: “Here is my mother and my brothers and sisters. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister and my mother.” Doing God’s will makes us become part of Jesus’ family, it makes us His mother, sister, brother.

End of Reflection by Pope Francis

1 Peter 4: 7-11   The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.