Men's Life Ministry

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,
who have observed his law;
seek justice, seek humility;
perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the LORD's anger.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst
a people humble and lowly,
who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:
the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong
and speak no lies;
nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue;
they shall pasture and couch their flocks
with none to disturb them.

The Word of the Lord

Discussion Questions

1.	Was the faithful "remnant" in this reading practicing the Beatitudes from today's Gospel ("Seek justice, seek humility")? These are not easy to acquire, but could there be something innate to human nature that allows us to receive such qualities from God?
2.	God promises to leave a humble "remnant" in the people's midst. One of their rewards was " ... they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them." Is there always a certain happiness found in the love of God?

Second Reading

1 COR 1:26-31

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.
Not many of you were wise by human standards,
not many were powerful,
not many were of noble birth.
Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,
and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing,
to reduce to nothing those who are something,
so that no human being might boast before God.
It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who became for us wisdom from God,
as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,
so that, as it is written,
"Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."

The Word of the Lord

Discussion Questions

1.	This reading begins with "Consider your calling. ... " How is a "calling" different from a commandment? Are such qualities as "foolish, weak, lowly" commandments or gifts for the heart to be sought and prayed for?
2.	How can the "weak of the world shame the strong"? What does this mean to you? Is weakness a top priority for the United States today, or is it strength? Is non-violence a weakness or is it strength?

Alleluia, alleluia	MT 5:12A
Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven.
Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel

MT 5:1-12A

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."

The Gospel of the Lord

Discussion Questions

Can the Beatitudes become a way of life for you? If one of them becomes important to you, might the others follow?

Pope Francis offered us six new Beatitudes. How do these "confront the troubles and anxieties of our own time with the spirit and love of Jesus"?

*Blessed are those who remain faithful while enduring evils inflicted on them by others, and forgive them from their heart.

*Blessed are those who look into the eyes of the abandoned and marginalized, and show them their closeness.

*Blessed are those who see God in every person, and strive to make others also discover him.

*Blessed are those who protect and care for our common home.

*Blessed are those who renounce their own comfort in order to help others.

*Blessed are those who pray and work for full communion between Christians.

All these are messengers of God's mercy and tenderness, and surely they will receive from him their merited reward.

Holy Mass in Swedbank Stadion, Malmo Switzerland

Nov. 1, 2016

Fresh Air

Terry Gross, Host

December 26, 2016 Interview with Bruce Springsteen

GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. And if you're just joining us, I'm with Bruce Springsteen on the occasion of the publication of his new memoir, "Born To Run." And we're recording this interview in his home studio. So you also live near the church.

SPRINGSTEEN: Oh, yeah.

GROSS: And church was a part of your life. And you write about Catholicism (reading) this is the world where I found the beginnings of my song. In Catholicism, there existed the poetry, danger and darkness that reflected my imagination and my inner self. I found a language of great and harsh beauty, of fantastic stories, of unimaginable punishment and infinite reward. Are there particular, like, bible stories or, like, religious paintings that really made an impression on you?

SPRINGSTEEN: No. It was more just the basics. I think when you're a child, you just cling to the basics, which is the basic story of Jesus and the crucifixion and hell and eternal punishment and the flames. This was all stuff that was - forget when you're young. This is very tangible and is as real as the gas station next door to you, you know?

GROSS: Maybe especially since the church was just about next-door to you.

SPRINGSTEEN: (Laughter) Exactly. So these things - and also because we lived in the presence of the church and the convent and the rectory and the school 24-7. And this was an enormous cornerstone in the lives of my entire family. They were all pretty serious Catholic churchgoers. And as a child, you just - you know, these things were very, very - they were very, very terrifying.

SPRINGSTEEN: And...

GROSS: What things? Were you afraid of hell?

SPRINGSTEEN: (Laughter) Yeah.

GROSS: Of eternal damnation?

SPRINGSTEEN: (Laughter) That one, too, you know. So, you know, these were stories that were not stories, you know, they were simply facts. This is what occurred. This is what can occur unless you toe the line, my friend, you know.

So when you're a child, it was very - and you forget that the Catholic religion at the time was much darker and more mysterious. The entire mass was in Latin. The church was - if you go to my church now, it's incredibly bright inside. But at - when I was young, it was very dark inside, you know. And it was just the difference in the way that they've painted it since I've gone there. And it strives for a very different and welcoming spirit.

Where when I was young, it was sort of built to intimidate. Even on this very local level in this very small church in this small town, it still held that sort of - held you in the palm of its darkness. And it was something I carried with me, never forgot, brought into my music. And it's been in my music ever since.

Full Interview Here

For what are we born if not to aid one another?

Ernest Hemingway

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then we'll have peace."

By: Jimi Hendrix

"My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

Abraham Lincoln

If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.

1 John 4:12

Deus fit homo ut homo fieret Deus

God became human so that humans might become God

(Catholicism, Page 2 by Fr. Robert Barron)

"The Glory of God is a human being fully alive."

Meyers, Robin R. (2009-02-19). Saving Jesus from the Church: How to Stop Worshiping Christ and Start Following Jesus (Kindle Location 639). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

God "dwells in us."

God's love is not meant for us alone;

we must give it away.

Do small things today and for many tomorrows,
with a generous heart.

Give God Away Today!

Help us then, Lord,

to be so united with the paschal mystery of Jesus,

that through Him the world can become a better place to dwell.

You promise us much for this life

and for our eternal presence with You;

may we live into that promise

each day.

An interesting thought:

The birth of St. John is celebrated on June 24th, in the moment of the summer solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to reduce. On the other hand, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25th, during the winter solstice. From that point onward, daylight begins to grow, to get longer.

STAY CONNECTED