Readings at Mass - 16 Jul 2022

Use this image of Joseph The Carpenter with child Jesus by Georges de La Tour. The experience of beholding a La Tour is like looking at the sunset; your eyes are glued to the dimming sun. Sit down and quietly gaze and marvel at this masterpiece by someone who went through a similar crisis. Ten years after painting this in 1652, Georges and his family perished in an epidemic in Lunéville France. GUIDED MEDITATION—1—Does it mirror or evoke any feeling of the darkness surrounding you these days? Focus on your breathing and feel your own heart beat; listen.—2—Move your attention towards the candle light. Feel in your eyes the warmth. Look at those dirty fingernails. Ask to be cleansed.—3—Notice too the straight flame unperturbed by Joseph's breath. Imagine the heart of God beating and aflame with divine love for you.—4—Join in! The light source leads the way as you enter the scene. The light is veiled and unveiled. Move close to where the light is unveiled in Jesus' glowing face. Likewise, notice that you are moving away from the cast shadows. Look at that face aglow with a child's smile. Thank him briefly.—5—Now, tell Jesus quietly your heart's desires. Imagine his gaze shifting on you. Jesus says "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD" (Ps 46:10). Use this image as a screen saver.

Readings at Mass - 16 Jul 2022

Here is your Readings at Mass page for 16 Jul 2022: Saturday of week 15 in Ordinary Time.

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Saturday 16 July 2022

Saturday of week 15 in Ordinary Time

or Our Lady of Mount Carmel

or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: C(II).

Readings at Mass

First reading	Micah 2:1-5

The plotters of evil will not escape

Woe to those who plot evil,

who lie in bed planning mischief!

No sooner is it dawn than they do it

– their hands have the strength for it.

Seizing the fields that they covet,

they take over houses as well,

owner and house they confiscate together,

taking both man and inheritance.

So the Lord says this:

Now it is I who plot

such mischief against this breed

as your necks will not escape;

nor will you be able to walk proudly,

so evil will the time be.

On that day they will make a satire on you,

sing a dirge and say,

‘We are stripped of everything;

my people’s portion is measured out and shared,

no one will give it back to them,

our fields are awarded to our despoiler.’

Therefore you will have no one

to measure out a share

in the community of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 9B(10):1-4,7-8,14

Lord, do not forget the poor.

Lord, why do you stand afar off

and hide yourself in times of distress?

The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:

he is caught in the schemes that others have made.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;

the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.

In his pride the wicked says: ‘He will not punish.

There is no God.’ Such are his thoughts.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression,

mischief and deceit under his tongue.

He lies in wait among the reeds;

the innocent he murders in secret.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.

But you have seen the trouble and sorrow,

you note it, you take it in hand.

The helpless trusts himself to you;

for you are the helper of the orphan.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

Gospel Acclamation	Ps118:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

Make me grasp the way of your precepts,

and I will muse on your wonders.

Alleluia!

Or:	2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 12:14-21

He cured them all but warned them not to make him known

The Pharisees went out and began to plot against Jesus, discussing how to destroy him.

Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many followed him and he cured them all, but warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah:

Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved, the favourite of my soul.

I will endow him with my spirit,

and he will proclaim the true faith to the nations.

He will not brawl or shout,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

He will not break the crushed reed,

nor put out the smouldering wick

till he has led the truth to victory:

in his name the nations will put their hope.

Copyright © 1996-2022 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calendar used: Philippines

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Lectio Divina: The three concentric circles of Divine Reading

I. The first outermost circle–the mind–which is the first place or vessel of the Word. It is said that "Empty vessels make the most sound" so feed your mind with the words of Scripture and let it reverberate–never straining to "study or solve." But, first, it might be good to empty your mind of other concerns. When ready, slowly read and pause to "listen" to the echoes by remembering a word or a phrase from what you read. Be reverent towards the Word of God that is expressed in human words and fashioned in the light of the same Spirit through whom it was written (cf. DV 12).

II. It is not just the mind that is fed by the Word of God. Move to the second inner circle–the mouth, the "door" to our enteric nervous system which is commonly called gut. When we were still in the womb of our mothers both our gut and our brain originated from the same clump of tissue called the neural crest. One section turned into the brain between our ears and another section turned into the "second brain" or one's gut where one half of all our nerve cells are located. One can "think" through the gut. Our capacity for feeling and expressing emotions depend primarily on it and, only secondarily, the brain. There is a Native American proverb which says, “Listen or your tongue will make you deaf.” Like the mind, the mouth needs quieting down too. They are like Siamese twins; when one is sick, the other may also be sick. The reason you do not hear others' feelings or even your own emotions is because your busy tongue has made you deaf.

III. Only after we have quieted down our two brains that we can move into the third innermost circle–the heart. The opening words of the Rule of St Benedict says, “Listen with the ear of the heart.” What does it mean to listen with the ear of the heart? Once, I got a feedback from one of my silent retreatants who thanked me for listening not only to words but to movements of the heart. It dawned on me that it does make a big difference to listen in this way. As always in the Scripture, it is the heart that prays. Deep in the heart, prayer happens. So allow the "ears of your heart"–to do their work. It is a difficult and challenging journey though to listen with the heart if it is not emptied, e.g., of one's own assumptions, prejudices and past hurts. However, this is the most privileged place to receive the Word of Scripture. This innermost place of prayer is what the desert fathers and mothers call “purity of heart” where we come face to face with God. "Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all" (Ps 139:4). Although God knows already what you might have there in your heart, talk to Him and listen reverently to His words of consolation.