PIUS X, Pope
Introduction
Pope Pius X (1835-1914) is memorable for initiating the liturgical reform, mainly making the Eucharist more accessible with his decrees on early and frequent communion. Born from poor parents, he remained always, also as pope, the pastor he had been in all of his life as a priest. Close to the people, he was aware of their needs and opened the liturgy to them, to bring it closer to life and to build up the body of the Church through the Lord’s Eucharistic body. In his testament, he wrote: “I was born poor, I have lived poor, I want to die poor.”
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
we thank you for giving us popes
like St. Pius X
to lead your Church as true pastors.
Give us always shepherds close to the people,
attentive to their needs and aspirations,
and nourishing your Church
with the bread of life
of the plain message of the Gospel
and of the body of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Reading I: Jgs 2:11-19
The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals.
Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers,
who led them out of the land of Egypt,
they followed the other gods of the various nations around them,
and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.
Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,
the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel,
and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them.
He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about
whom they were no longer able to withstand.
Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them,
as in his warning he had sworn he would do,
till they were in great distress.
Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them
from the power of their despoilers,
they did not listen to their judges,
but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods.
They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken,
and did not follow their example of obedience
to the commandments of the LORD.
Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge
and save them from the power of their enemies
as long as the judge lived;
it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries
of affliction under their oppressors.
But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors,
following other gods in service and worship,
relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.
Responsorial Psalm: 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44
R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Alleluia: Mt 5:3
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Mt 19:16-22
A young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
Intentions
– For people, who have a hard time to share their riches, that the Lord open their eyes to the needs of people, we pray:
– For those who hear the Lord calling them to special vocations in the Church, that they may generously answer that call, we pray:
– For all of us, that we may appreciate God’s gifts with gratitude and use them for the good of all, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
in the signs of this bread and wine
we remember how Jesus, your Son,
gave himself to us
to make us capable of giving ourselves.
Like St. Pius X,
may we too, draw from Jesus the strength
to serve one another and you
and to become every day more
the body of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
on the feast of St. Pius X,
you have gathered us
around the table of your Son
and nourished us with his body,
that we may bear much fruit
of lasting unity, peace and love.
Help us to bear each other’s burdens
and to build up among us
the kingdom of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
Blessing
“What do I lack?” We think perhaps that, in good faith and without boasting, we have done much for the Lord. Have we given ourselves? What is there that we could not give up? May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Reflection:
Aug 21
Matthew 19:16-22
Following Jesus stretches us far beyond our comfort zone
The Gospel is incredibly for our times. A young man approaches Jesus with a sincere and beautiful question. He knows Jesus is capable of responding to his desire so he just goes up to Jesus and makes his request. The man knew Jesus has an answer for eternal life. He hoped Jesus would do his part. But the young man miscalculated the part that he should be doing. if one truly wishes life eternal and to follow Jesus, he desires that one gives all to him. A rich person is protected by the security of the riches which he possesses. He has difficulty opening the hand of his security. Attached to the advantages of his goods, he lives only to defend his own interests. It may not only mean dispossessing ourselves of everything we own. However, it most likely will require changes in our lives and in our priorities. These changes may be very stretching for us and require sacrifice.
The reality is: following Jesus is not always an easy or strife-free path. At times, doing what Jesus would do stretches us far beyond our comfort zone.
Jesus helps the young man, and us, turn the question around: “What do I lack?”becomes, “What do I have too much of?” When we know what we have too much of, we know what possesses us. We discover the limits of our freedom. We discover what our desires really are.
Biblical love is in deeds, not in mere words. We know that our limitations are often what makes it difficult for us to love heroically. However, one of the greatest obstacles to love is not what we lack, but what we have too much of. Too often, we can’t love – give our lives away in loving others – because we can’t surrender what we are addicted to, or even break out of the patterns of what we are used to.
The young man had asked what to do to obtain eternal life. He wanted to live close to God! But Jesus recalls only the commandments which refer to respect for the life close to others! He does not mention the first three commandments which deal with relationship with God. The observance of the commandments prepares people to be able to reach the point of giving oneself completely to the neighbour. According to Jesus, we will be well with God only if we are well with our neighbour. It is not worth deceiving oneself. The door to reach God is our neighbour.
The Son of God has unique focus in his mission: He defines it in this way: “To announce the good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18). He Himself lives poorly. He possesses nothing for Himself, not even a stone to lay His head on (Lk 9:58). And to anyone who wants to follow Him, who wants to live like Him, He orders that that person choose either God or money! (Mt 6:24). He orders His followers to choose the poor, as He proposed it to the rich young man! (Mk 10:21). This different way of accepting the poor and of living with them is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
Are we truly willing to make difficult decisions and to change our lives and our lifestyle to follow Jesus?
Following Jesus stretches us far beyond our comfort zone – Youtube