DAILY PERSEVERANCE NEVER GETS OLD

1 Kings 11:4-13, Psalm 106:3-4, 35-37, 40, Mark 7:24-30

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021314.cfm


"When Solomon was old...his heart was not entirely with the Lord." -1 Kings 11:4

Solomon's legacy began with great success. This was a direct result of his selfless prayers and attitude in the early days of his reign as king (1 Kgs 3:6ff). Sadly, Solomon did not persevere in his faithfulness to God, even though the Lord "had appeared to him twice" (1 Kgs 11:9). Despite a glorious beginning, Solomon's "heart was not entirely with the Lord" (1 Kgs 11:4). He "had not obeyed" God (1 Kgs 11:10), even though he received clear instruction from the Lord. The end result of  Solomon's reign was catastrophic. His household fell apart and his nation was divided.
Jesus clearly tells us that the one who perseveres to the end will be saved (Lk 21:19). The surest way to be faith-filled and to have your heart "entirely with the Lord" at the end of your life is to make sure your heart is entirely with the Lord today and every day. "Delay not your conversion to the Lord, put it not off from day to day" (Sir 5:8). "Now is the acceptable time" (2 Cor 6:2). Day after day, come to Jesus (Mt 11:28). Day after day, "let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus" (Heb 12:2). Then, each day, persevere in staying with Jesus. He promises that when you persevere to the end, you will be saved (see Lk 21:19, RNAB).


Prayer: Father, as I grow older in Jesus, Your Son, may I persevere in my faith so that I "bear fruit even in old age" (Ps 92:15).

Promise: "Happy are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just." -Ps 106:3

Praise: Thomas rebelled against God for many years. God drew him back to Himself when Thomas heard a favorite childhood hymn.

HEART CONDITIONS

1 Kings 10:1-10, Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40, Mark 7:14-23

Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021214.cfm


"Wicked designs come from the deep recesses of the heart." -Mark 7:21

Solomon asked the Lord for a wise and understanding heart (1 Kgs 3:9). The Lord answered His prayer and made Him the wisest person in history (1 Kgs 3:12). Yet, through his sins, Solomon turned his heart away from the Lord (1 Kgs 11:3). His heart was not entirely devoted to the Lord (1 Kgs 11:4). He died a fool with his kingdom on the verge of civil war. Solomon died of a spiritual heart attack.
We Christians are greater than Solomon (see Mt 11:11). Through baptism, we have received not only a wise heart, but a new heart promised by the Lord (see Ez 36:26). However, we can likewise sin and turn our hearts away from the Lord. We can lose our first love (see Rv 2:4) and no longer decide to love the Lord with all our hearts (see Mt 22:37). If we persist in this lukewarmness (Rv 3:16), we, like Solomon, will also die and damn ourselves through a spiritual heart attack. Consequently, we must repent of any sinful compromises with the ways of the world and keep our new heart beating with pure love of the Lord. We received a new heart at our baptism and will receive a renewed heart through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Repentance prevents spiritual heart attacks.


Prayer: Father, "create in me a clean heart" (Ps 51:12, our transl.).

Promise: "The report I heard in my country about your deeds and your wisdom is true." -1 Kgs 10:6

Praise: "Heart of Christ, we sing Your praises!"

CAN IT BE?

Our Lady of Lourdes

1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30, Psalm 84:3-5, 10, 11, Mark 7:1-13
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021114.cfm


"My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." -Psalm 84:3

Solomon, the wisest man in the world, was shocked that God would dwell in the Temple. He questioned: "Can it indeed be that God dwells among men on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain You, how much less this temple which I have built!" (1 Kgs 8:27) Imagine what Solomon's reaction would have been had he known that God became man and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14). How even more astounding that the incarnate God lives within those who have been baptized in His name! (see Rm 6:3) And there's even more: the incarnate, indwelling God gives us His body and blood under the appearances of bread and wine! (see Mt 26:26ff)
We are so overwhelmed by the Lord's Incarnation that we recall this event every morning, noon, and evening when we pray the Angelus. We are so amazed at the incarnate Lord's gift of Himself to us in the Eucharist that we receive Holy Communion daily or as often as possible. We center our lives on our incarnate, indwelling, eucharistic Lord. This is the reason for this book, One Bread, One Body. We teach on the daily eucharistic readings to encourage you to go to Mass daily or as often as possible and live the Eucharist to the fullest.
God is a Man. God is in you. The eucharistic Lord looks like bread and wine. We can receive the body and blood of God. Astounding! True! Amazing! Thank You, Lord!


Prayer: Father, may I believe so strongly in Your eucharistic presence that I will live and die for You.

Promise: "I had rather one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere." -Ps 84:11

Praise: Through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes, Barbara received comfort and relief during her difficult pregnancy.


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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 February 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014
?Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati,  August 8, 2013

"REBUILD MY CHURCH"

St. Scholastica

1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13, Psalm 132:6-10, Mark 6:53-56
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021014.cfm

"REBUILD MY CHURCH"

"I have truly built You a princely house, a dwelling where You may abide forever." -1 Kgs 8:13

Everything Solomon created - the magnificent Temple building, the great architecture, ornate decorations, and countless sacrifices - pointed toward the moment of the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant. When the ark was placed in the Temple, it meant that God now dwelt within its walls (1 Kgs 8:11-13).
The people of Israel were caught up in the excitement of God dwelling in their midst. The dedication of the Jerusalem Temple was the apex of Israel's history; from that point, everything went downhill. They delighted in the trappings of worship, but their lifestyles showed that they were interested only in giving the Lord "lip-service" rather than "life-service" (see Mk 7:6; Is 29:13). Solomon's pride and disobedience mirrored that of all Israel and sowed the seeds of civil war. The Lord Who dwells with His people delights in humility and obedience; Solomon and many other worshippers instead gave the Lord pride and disobedience.
It is good that our Church buildings contain beauty befitting the glory and majesty of Almighty God. It is also fitting that those who enter the Church buildings worship God with hearts full of love and lives of obedient faith (Rm 1:5). Jesus reveals that God is seeking people who will worship Him in spirit and truth (Jn 4:23). Humble yourself in God's sight (1 Pt 5:6), especially by obeying His commandments (Jn 15:10). Rebuild the Church by your loving reverence and obedience.


Prayer: Father, may I obey You so that my light might shine before all so they will give glory to You (Mt 5:16).

Promise: "All who touched Him got well." -Mk 6:56

Praise: St. Scholastica left her family to found a religious community.

SALT LICKED?

5th Sunday Ordinary Time

Isaiah 58:7-10, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Psalm 112:4-9, Matthew 5:13-16
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020914.cfm

"What if salt goes flat? How can you restore its flavor? Then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." -Matthew 5:13

We've had much snow this year. As I walked to Mass this morning, I had to walk over large quantities of salt on the streets and in the Church parking lot. That salt had been trampled upon by many people (see Mt 5:13) and was dirty and disgusting. No one would ever consider sprinkling it on their dinner.

Similarly, in the time of Jesus, when conquering armies had vanquished a nation, they spread salt on that nation's croplands and trampled it underfoot to work it deep into the soil. This degraded the soil so that crops planted in that soil would wither and not bear fruit, thus making it unlikely that nation would prosper again.

When we became disciples of Jesus, we received His Word with great joy (Mk 4:16). We became the salt of the earth (Mt 5:13), and this kind of "salt is good" (Lk 14:34). We literally put a "good taste" in the mouth of those who are hungry for God's love. If, however, we fall away from Jesus, we go flat. We become to hurting people that salt which degrades. The enemy has used our "flat" lives to trample people underfoot.

Jesus teaches us: "Salt is good, but if salt loses its flavor what good is it for seasoning? It is fit for neither the soil nor the manure heap; it has to be thrown away. Let him who hears this, heed it" (Lk 14:34-35). "Keep salt in your hearts and you will be at peace with one another" (Mk 9:50).

Every day, draw closer to Jesus. Let Him refresh you with His love. Be salt that refreshes and not salt that degrades.

Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit to keep me fresh for You.

Promise: "Your faith rests not on the wisdom of men but on the power of God." -1 Cor 2:5

Praise: Praise Jesus, Who has conquered sin and death!

DAILY DYINGS

St. Jerome Emiliani, St. Josephine Bakhita

1 Kings 3:4-13, Psalm 119:9-14, Mark 6:30-34
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020814.cfm

"People were coming and going in great numbers, making it impossible for them to so much as eat." -Mark 6:31

Jesus tried to take a day off, or at least an hour off. He wanted to stop and eat for a change. So He got into the boat with His apostles and went off to a deserted place (Mk 6:32). However, hundreds, even thousands, of people ran around the lake, and what was supposedly a deserted place was packed with a vast crowd (Mk 6:33). So there was no rest and no food for Jesus.

Most people get rather irritable when they don't eat and sleep enough. When our stomachs are growling and our eyelids drooping, we naturally have a tendency to focus on ourselves and our own needs. Yet Jesus reacted to the overwhelming demands from the crowd by dying to Himself and loving the people. Jesus forgot about His needs and "began to teach them at great length" (Mk 6:34).

Jesus hung on the cross and died on Calvary, but this was not His first death. Jesus' three hours on Calvary completed thirty-three years of dying to Himself because of His love for us. In the same way, let us pick up our cross daily, follow Jesus, deny our very self (Lk 9:23), and die to ourselves repeatedly (Jn 12:24).

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Calvary, for long days, fastings, hard work, self-denial, and Your love.

Promise: "I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you." -1 Kgs 3:12

Praise: St. Jerome learned discipline in the Venetian army, and discipleship in God's.