September 10
Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
7:45 AM – Intentions of the Parish Rosary Group / Margaret Ingraham
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
1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 11
R. (see 5) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
See John 17:17b, 17a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 6:39-42
Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
“You are my inheritance, O Lord.”
Reflection
At the end of the day, we would love the continual reassurance and confidence that we are not "blindly" being led astray or down the wrong path in life—especially in our journey of faith. If we stay closely connected to the Word of God, if we continually familiarize ourselves with Jesus's own words, we can offer back to Him any anxiety or doubt that we might have about our living witness of faith. If we are striving to live the Gospel and feel it alive in our heart, we know that we will always have recourse to the Lord. Yet still it is always good to set time apart for an Examen, some kind of guided reflection in which we actively engage holding up a mirror to ourselves, our lives etc. and humbly/genuinely see whether or not our life is consistent with living the level of love Jesus calls us to.
"Do I listen to Jesus' words and act accordingly?" Think back to the Gospel from yesterday...how have I "loved" my enemies, have I given to others without expecting repayment? Have I turned the other cheek? Have I been stringent in the way I measure out mercy to others in my life/in my community/in the world?
Pope Benedict XVI writes that "those who build their lives on His Word build in a truly sound and lasting way." Your word, Lord, stands forever; it is firm as the heavens (Ps. 119:89)
May we continue to build our lives grounded on the Incarnate Word of God! Peace.
Peace,
Fr. Foley
P.S.—If you are really looking for a challenging examen...let me recommend Happy Are You Poor, by Fr. Thomas Dubay
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