Thursday, July 14, 2016

Thursday, July 14 2016 Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin


Reading 1 Is 26:7-9, 12, 16-19

The way of the just is smooth;
the path of the just you make level.
Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD,
we look to you;
Your name and your title
are the desire of our souls.
My soul yearns for you in the night,
yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you;
When your judgment dawns upon the earth,
the world’s inhabitants learn justice.
O LORD, you mete out peace to us,
for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.

O LORD, oppressed by your punishment,
we cried out in anguish under your chastising.
As a woman about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pains,
so were we in your presence, O LORD.
We conceived and writhed in pain,
giving birth to wind;
Salvation we have not achieved for the earth,
the inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth.
But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise;
awake and sing, you who lie in the dust.
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the land of shades gives birth.


Responsorial Psalm Ps 102:13-14ab and 15, 16-18, 19-21

R. (20b) From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
You, O LORD, abide forever,
and your name through all generations.
You will arise and have mercy on Zion,
for it is time to pity her.
For her stones are dear to your servants,
and her dust moves them to pity.
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.


Alleluia Mt 11:28

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel Mt 11:28-30

Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

REFLECTION

LOVE ALONE

"Come to Me." –Matthew 11:28

Come to Jesus, "all you who are weary and find life burdensome" (Mt 11:28). He will give you not necessarily what you want or think you need; rather, He will give you His way and His judgments (Is 26:8). The Lord Jesus will give you the desire of your soul – if His name, Jesus, and His title, Lord, are your desire (Is 26:8).

The Lord calls you to come to Him for His sake, not so much for the sake of what He can do for you. "For though the fig tree blossom not nor fruit be on the vines, though the yield of the olive fail and the terraces produce no nourishment, though the flocks disappear from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet will I rejoice in the Lord and exult in my saving God" (Hab 3:17-18). Come to Jesus not to be served, but to serve and to give your life to Him (see Mt 20:28). Come to Jesus "in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health." Come to Jesus with no ulterior motives. Come to Jesus in unconditional love. Come to Jesus with no agenda except to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Lk 10:27).

PRAYER: Sacred Heart of Jesus, give me pure love through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.
PROMISE: "Salvation we have not achieved for the earth, the inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth. But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise; awake and sing, you who lie in the dust." –Is 26:18-19
PRAISE: Although her family rejected her, St. Kateri never rejected her Lord.

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