The Lord made an interesting promise in today's reading from Jeremiah. He promised that he will put His law within His people (and write it on their hearts and minds) and thus people will no longer need to teach others about Him for all of them will know Him. How does He fulfill this promise? Let's look at 1 John 2: 27- "As for you, the anointing that you received from God remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false." I believe this verse answers my above question. Not to say that we do not need Bible classes and worship seminars and all that, but that the Holy Spirit will expose us to experiences that will teach us more about God (such as the above) and come into us so that we can live better lives as Catholics. So, are you glad that the Law of the Lord is written in you? I sure am!
Looking at the gospel, Jesus asks an interesting question: Who do you say I am? The answer to this question is not to be arrived at with logic or study of history (look at some of the answers the disciples gave), but to come from God via our daily life with Jesus at our side. God is certainly not going to reveal who Jesus really is to people who have never walked with Him. So let us ask God to reveal to us who Jesus is to each and every one of us through His Spirit.
Thursday 7 August 2008
Memorial of Pope Saint Sixtus II and Saint Cajetan
Let's look to Wikipedia for more information on Pope Saint Sixtus II:
- pope from August 30, 257 A.D. to August 6, 258 A.D.
- restored the relations with the African and Eastern churches
- died as a martyr during persecution by the Roman Emperor Valerian I.
And here's the info on Saint Cajetan from Wikipedia:
- born at Vicenza (then part of the Republic of Venice) in October 1480
- studied law in Padua and received degree as doctor utriusque juris (i.e., in civil and canon law) at age 24
- in 1506 worked as diplomat for Pope Julius II with whom he helped reconcile the Venetian Republic
- became a priest in 1516
- in 1517 founded a hospital for incurables in Vicenza
- founded the Order of the Clerics Regular, a.k.a. the Theatines
- died in Naples in 1547, beatified in 1629, and canonized in 1671
- patron saint of the unemployed, gamblers and job seekers with feast day on August 7
- pope from August 30, 257 A.D. to August 6, 258 A.D.
- restored the relations with the African and Eastern churches
- died as a martyr during persecution by the Roman Emperor Valerian I.
And here's the info on Saint Cajetan from Wikipedia:
- born at Vicenza (then part of the Republic of Venice) in October 1480
- studied law in Padua and received degree as doctor utriusque juris (i.e., in civil and canon law) at age 24
- in 1506 worked as diplomat for Pope Julius II with whom he helped reconcile the Venetian Republic
- became a priest in 1516
- in 1517 founded a hospital for incurables in Vicenza
- founded the Order of the Clerics Regular, a.k.a. the Theatines
- died in Naples in 1547, beatified in 1629, and canonized in 1671
- patron saint of the unemployed, gamblers and job seekers with feast day on August 7
Bible Readings for Today (Memorial of Pope Saint Sixtus II and Saint Cajetan )
Below are readings for today Thu 7 Aug:
Jeremiah 31: 31-34
“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord. “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.
“People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
Matthew 16: 13-23
When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”
Jeremiah 31: 31-34
“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,” says the Lord. “But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people.
“People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”
Matthew 16: 13-23
When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”
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