June 23
Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
7:45 AM – Victor Villani / The Maio Family
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
Gensis 15:1-12, 17-18
The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.”
But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the LORD came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” “O Lord GOD,” he asked, “how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.
When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Gospel Acclamation
John 15:4a, 5b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.”
“The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.”
Reflection
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus reminds the disciples, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.” This warning to the early followers is just as important for us today. Are we able to spot those who infiltrate our Church, our faith life, our daily way of living, who seem to be devout and pure of intention but really are ravenous wolves seeking to weaken and destroy our faith and the Church in general? I would argue that we often are blind to such people. This may be because we try to think positively about those we encounter; that does seem to be what Jesus teaches.
We have to evaluate each person who is offering information or opinion about God, Sacred Scripture, and faith in general. Are they in line with the teachings of the Church? If not, Christ would tell us to move away from them. One of our responsibilities as baptized Catholics is to protect ourselves from misinformation and wrong teaching. Let us pray today that God does protect us from falsehoods in faith in order that we might be able to worship and trust in him the way that God the Father intended!
Peace,
Fr. John
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