Saturday, September 10, 2016

Saturday, September 10 2016 Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time


Reading 1 1 Cor 10:14-22

My beloved ones, avoid idolatry.
I am speaking as to sensible people;
judge for yourselves what I am saying.
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one Body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.

Look at Israel according to the flesh;
are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
So what am I saying?
That meat sacrificed to idols is anything?
Or that an idol is anything?
No, I mean that what they sacrifice,
they sacrifice to demons, not to God,
and I do not want you to become participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons.
You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.
Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger?
Are we stronger than him?

Responsorial Psalm Ps 116:12-13, 17-18

R. (17) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

Alleluia Jn 14:23

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.

Gospel Lk 6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?
I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.
But the one who listens and does not act
is like a person who built a house on the ground
without a foundation.
When the river burst against it,
it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

REFLECTION 

HEART-BURN

"Each man speaks from his heart's abundance." –Luke 6:45

The next time you encounter someone who is in love, pay close attention to what they say. What do they talk about? They talk incessantly about the person they love. He tells all his friends about how wonderful she is. She says that he's always on her heart. They are speaking from their heart's abundance (Lk 6:45), and their hearts are abundantly full of love for each other.

Now, think about what you say. How often do you speak of Jesus? Is He on your heart much? Do you speak about your favorite movie star or sports team more than you speak of Jesus? That tips you off about what's really in your heart.

If your heart is full of fear, ask God for a deeper love for Him, for "perfect love casts out all fear" (1 Jn 4:18). If your heart is full of the things of the world, ask Jesus to purify your heart so you will have room for Him (see Jn 2:15ff; Mal 3:3). If your heart is hard and closed to Jesus, commit to read His Word often and hear His voice through the Scriptures (Heb 3:7-8).

Keep your hearts full of Jesus by frequently receiving His eucharistic body and His Word at Mass. Then your heart will burn with love for Him (Lk 24:32). "My prayer is that your love [for Jesus] may more and more abound" (Phil 1:9), and that you know and experience the overflowing love He has for you (Eph 3:19). Then Jesus will be your Love (1 Jn 4:8), Life (Jn 14:6), and Joy. When your heart is full of Jesus, you won't be able to help speaking of Jesus (see Acts 4:20). You'll love to talk about Him.

PRAYER: Jesus, You came to give me abundant life (Jn 10:10). May I give You an abundant harvest (Mt 9:38).
PROMISE: "Because the loaf of bread is one, we, many though we are, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." –1 Cor 10:17
PRAISE: Sarah knows it's time to receive Reconciliation when she realizes the amount of negative comments she speaks.

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