"Warn the wicked man, and you will live" - Ezekiel 3

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Listening first to the Gospel for Tuesday Aug. 4, before the Optional First reading, it seems fitting to hear the Gospel for this Tuesday in ordinary time; then the First reading and Gospel for St. John Vianney.

Gospel for Tuesday, ordinary time:

Any plant My Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots

Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus and said, ‘Why do your disciples break away from the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat food.’ He called the people to Him and said, ‘Listen, and understand. What goes into the mouth does not make a man unclean; it is what comes out of the mouth that makes him unclean.’

Then the disciples came to Him and said, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?’ He replied, ‘Any plant my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind men leading blind men; and if one blind man leads another, both will fall into a pit.’ (Mt 15:1-2. 10-14)

• Readings for today’s memorial*

First reading

Warn the wicked man, and you will live

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows, ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from me, warn them in my Name. If I say to a wicked man, “You are to die,” and you do not warn him; if you do not speak and warn him to renounce his evil ways and so live, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man and he does not renounce his wickedness and his evil ways, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life. When the upright man renounces his integrity to do evil and I set a trap for him, he too shall die; since you failed to warn him, he shall die for his sin and the integrity he practised will no longer be remembered; but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you warn the upright man not to sin and he abstains from sinning, he shall live, thanks to your warning, and you too will have saved your life.’ (Ezekiel 3:17-21)

Gospel: The harvest is rich but the laborers are few

Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.

And when He saw the crowds He felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to His harvest.’

He summoned His twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. (Mt 9:35-10:1)

There is much to hear, on this memorial of St. John Vianney, a humble priest – unlike the Pharisees and scribes. Come, Holy Spirit, make us humble as Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart and His Humble Mother.

(Complete text for Mass Readings at: Universalis: Mass)

 

[hazcompat]

Second reading
From the catechetical instructions by Saint John Mary Vianney, priest
The glorious duty of man: to pray and to love

My little children, reflect on these words: the Christian’s treasure is not on earth but in heaven. Our thoughts, then, ought to be directed to where our treasure is. This is the glorious duty of man: to pray and to love. If you pray and love, that is where a man’s happiness lies.

Prayer is nothing else but union with God. When one has a heart that is pure and united with God, he is given a kind of serenity and sweetness that makes him ecstatic, a light that surrounds him with marvelous brightness. In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart. This union of God with a tiny creature is a lovely thing. It is a happiness beyond understanding.
…

Peace

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear hazcompat,

Thanks so much for that beautiful quote from Saint John Mary Vianney!

I have always loved the brief sentence that he wrote: “Prayer is nothing else but union with God” which I read and have kept in my heart. It rings so true!

Listening to the full context you posted give far more beauty to the one sentence, for it increases our sense of how to grow closer to God in heart and soul and mind.

I went to the Office of Readings and found the continuation of your quote:

We had deserved to be left incapable of praying; but God in his goodness has permitted us to speak to him. Our prayer is an incense that is delightful to God.

My children, your hearts are small, but prayer enlarges them and renders them capable of loving God. Prayer is a foretaste of heaven, an overflowing of heaven. It never leaves us without sweetness; it is like honey, it descends into the soul and sweetens everything. In a prayer well made, troubles vanish like snow under the rays of the sun.

Prayer makes time seem to pass quickly, and so pleasantly that one fails to notice how long it is. When I was parish priest of Bresse, once almost all my colleagues were ill, and as I made long journeys I used to pray to God, and, I assure you, the time did not seem long to me. There are those who lose themselves in prayer, like a fish in water, because they are absorbed in God. There is no division in their hearts. How I love those noble souls! Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Colette saw our Lord and spoke to him as we speak to one another.

As for ourselves, how often do we come to church without thinking what we are going to do or for what we are going to ask. And yet, when we go to call upon someone, we have no difficulty in remembering why it was we came. Some appear as if they were about to say to God: ‘I am just going to say a couple of words, so I can get away quickly.’ I often think that when we come to adore our Lord we should get all we ask if we asked for it with a lively faith and a pure heart.

Thanks so much!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear Stephie,

I will be posting another thread after I thank you for your “ever-faithfull heart” on this thread from yesterday. Sorry I was unable to reply yesterday.

Today in going to both the USCCB site and the Universalis site for the Mass readings, I was surprised that neither had listed an optional Memorial for today - which on my calendar and in my “Liturgy of the Hours” is still listed as"Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major". I hope this Memorial was not taken off the Liturgivcal year’s calendar for some reason.

At any rate, by God’s Grace, I will still make reference to it in the new thread I begin today.