Sunday 4 July 2021
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Spiritual Reading
Your Second Reading from the Office of Readings:
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
From a sermon by Saint Augustine
A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit
I acknowledge my transgression, says David. If I admit my fault, then you will pardon it. Let us never assume that if we live good lives we will be without sin; our lives should be praised only when we continue to beg for pardon. But men are hopeless creatures, and the less they concentrate on their own sins, the more interested they become in the sins of others. They seek to criticise, not to correct. Unable to excuse themselves, they are ready to accuse others. This was not the way that David showed us how to pray and make amends to God, when he said: I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. He did not concentrate on others’ sins; he turned his thoughts on himself. He did not merely stroke the surface, but he plunged inside and went deep down within himself. He did not spare himself, and therefore was not impudent in asking to be spared.
Do you want God to be appeased? Learn what you are to do that God may be pleased with you. Consider the psalm again: If you wanted sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; in burnt offerings you will take no delight. Are you then to be without sacrifice? Are you to offer nothing? Will you please God without an offering? Consider what you read in the same psalm: If you wanted sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; in burnt offerings you will take no delight. But continue to listen, and say with David: A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God does not despise a contrite and humble heart. Cast aside your former offerings, for now you have found out what you are to offer. In the days of your fathers you would have made offerings of cattle – these were the sacrifices. If you wanted sacrifice, I would indeed have given it. These then, Lord, you do not want, and yet you do want sacrifice.
You will take no delight in burnt offerings, David says. If you will not take delight in burnt offerings, will you remain without sacrifice? Not at all. A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God does not despise a contrite and humble heart.
You now have the offering you are to make. No need to examine the herd, no need to outfit ships and travel to the most remote provinces in search of incense. Search within your heart for what is pleasing to God. Your heart must be crushed. Are you afraid that it might perish so? You have the reply: Create a clean heart in me, O God. For a clean heart to be created, the unclean one must be crushed.
We should be displeased with ourselves when we commit sin, for sin is displeasing to God. Sinful though we are, let us at least be like God in this, that we are displeased at what displeases him. In some measure then you will be in harmony with God’s will, because you find displeasing in yourself what is abhorrent to your Creator.
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In other parts of the world and other calendars:
Blessed Maria Crocifissa Curcio, Virgin
From the Letters of Blessed Maria Crocifissa Curcio
Draw from the Eucharistic Spring and communicate: that is our mission
Convey the love which you find every day in the Eucharistic Spring to all the world with your prayer and with an immense desire to save all souls. With your words and above all by your good example take possession of the pure hearts of young girls to give themselves to Him who created us to love Him above all things.
Use gentle words, inspired by Him who is immense Love; in this spirit of intimate union, the Eucharistic Jesus must always guide you in all your actions, even those which are indifferent; let your rest and your work always be guided by the Divine Light, by the Eucharistic flame which you must always carry with you. By doing this, my good and dearest daughter, you will forever maintain the intimate peace which binds you to Jesus your Spouse, and in Him reciprocally to your neighbour, thus doing immense good, filling your souls with joy, the beauty of which is not of this world, while lamenting your own helplessness.
The first disciples of the Divine Master were poor ignorant fishermen but, filled with the spirit of God, how much good did they do in the world? The purpose of Uncreated Wisdom is not the fulfilment of His designs by learned and powerful people, but by humble means in order to demonstrate to the world that He operates by means of modest instruments. If the Divine Goodness has chosen us for this arduous mission, let it not surprise us but, in admiration, let us bow our heads and with humble simplicity abandon ourselves like a child to the heart of the Father.
This was how our little yet great Therese of the Child Jesus acted when she was made Novice Mistress. She confessed her helplessness at such a difficult task, but like a child she abandoned herself to the breast of Jesus and asked Him to enable her to nourish her daughters, wishing to give to each of them by His means that which they needed: “fill my hands, and without leaving your arms I shall distribute your food to the souls who come to me asking for your treasures.” May the spirit of this admirable little saint which guides us also be our teacher that by imitating her we shall make ourselves eternal!
May Jesus speak to you intimately and bring you peace, love of the Supreme Good, and mutual charity. The spirit of contemplation from the time of the Novitiate must always be kept in the heart of our soul; we were not called to the cloistered life, but to the active life; nevertheless, a life of prayer is the spirit of our Carmelite Order, and we must nourish our union with God in order to gain strength in our actions.
Jesus in the Eucharist lives in your house day and night; you always have the Divine Spouse who enlightens you and gives you strength in prayer and, within your heart, stands among you, watches over you always and asks for your love. Love the Immaculate Host, be watchful sentinels of the Tabernacle, always keep your heart, even during your work, in adoration of the Host of Love which is closed in that little house for our love. Blessed are the souls which succeed in finding the secret of true holiness in Him who alone can make saints!
Copyright © 1996-2021 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.