Sunday
Matthew 22: that time: When the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had – put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great command’ ment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Prayer: O my God I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived. (Act of Faith)

Monday
3 Kings: BESIDES the Temple which he erected to the Lord, Solomon built for himself a palace of wonderful magnificence. His throne was of ivory, overlaid with the finest gold. It had six steps, and at the two ends of each step there stood a lion: six to the right and six to the left—in all twelve lions. But the top of the throne was round and had a large lion, well made, on either side. And Solomon made two hundred shields of the purest gold and hung them in his palace.

All the vessels out of which the king drank were of gold, and all the furniture of his house was likewise of gold. In the days of Solomon there was no silver; no account was made of it, because the royal fleet brought from foreign countries riches of all kinds and precious metals in abundance. Solomon built several new cities; he beautified and strengthened Jerusalem, so that, with few exceptions, it surpassed all the cities of that time in beauty and splendour.

And Solomon reigned from the Euphrates to the confines of Egypt, and he was at peace with his neighbours on every side, and each man rested without fear under his own vine and fig-tree. Kings from far and near showed Solomon respect and sent him presents. The queen of Saba came herself from her far distant land to behold his magnificence and hear the words of his wisdom. When she had seen and heard, her spirit failed and she said to the king: “The report is true which I heard in my own country, but I would not believe. Blessed are thy servants who stand before thee and hear thy wisdom.” Thus did Solomon exceed all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.

But glorious as was the beginning of Solomon’s reign, his end was deplorable. Solomon was far advanced in life when his heart was corrupted by pagan women; and that king, hitherto so wise, became so blind and depraved that, in order to please these women, he offered incense to false gods and built temples to them.

Prayer: Having risen from sleep I hasten to Thee, O Lord, Lover of men, and by Thy loving-kindness I strive to do Thy work, and I pray to Thee: help me at all times, in everything, and deliver me from every evil thing of the world and every attack of the devil, and lead me into Thine eternal Kingdom. For Thou art my Creator, the Giver and Provider of everything good, and all my hope is in Thee, and to Thee I send up glory, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
*Prayer for the next day’s morning

Tuesday
3 Kings cont.
The Lord being angry said to Solomon: “Because thou hast done this and hast not kept My covenant and My precepts, which I have commanded thee, I will divide and rend thy kingdom. Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it for David, thy father’s, sake; neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son, for the sake of David, my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Then secret revolt and sedition arose among the people, because Solomon, blinded as he was, had over-taxed and oppressed the people, to build palaces for the heathen women who had turned him away from God. Things were in this unhappy state when Solomon died, having reigned forty years; and he, who had been a great and powerful king while he walked in the ways of David his father, died without honour.

Commentary: It causes real pain to read that a man so gifted with grace as Solomon could have fallen so low. Look back and think what he was at the dedication of the Temple, and how he cast himself on his knees and prayed so beautifully to the ever present God; and then think of his becoming indifferent about the worship of the true God, of his building temples to the false gods of his wives, and of his tolerating idolatry! It is impossible for us to conceive that Solomon ever believed in and worshipped idols himself; but it is certain that, for the sake of his heathen wives and against his own convictions, he sanctioned idolatry and even enforced it! By so doing he denied his faith and offended his people. Thus he sinned both by being indifferent about the true faith and by denying it.

Worldliness and pride lead to religious indifference. But how was it possible that the wise and devout Solomon could offend God so grievously? He gave himself over to worldliness, led a sensual, luxurious life, and set his affections on the earthly riches with which God had endowed him. His love for God grew cold, his zeal for prayer and the service of God grew weak, and he became lax and indifferent about religion. Intercourse and friendship with the pagan kings of Tyre and Sidon and his unlawful intermarriage with pagan wives increased his religious indifference; and besides this the universal admiration of which he was the object made him proud, so that he became less and less worthy of divine grace. He lost the grace necessary for perseverance in good and sank so low that he denied the true faith and upheld idolatry!

Happiness and riches are dangerous. Trials are wholesome. Solomon’s sad fall shows us how difficult it is to fear God and persevere in good in the midst of happiness, riches, honours and pleasures. Those with whom everything goes well love the world and earthly possessions, forget the end for which they were made, cease to love God and often lose belief in Him and His revelation. This is why God, in His merciful wisdom, sends us sufferings, so as to prevent our being arrogant and forgetful of God and His holy Commandments. These sufferings sent are real benefits to us and are a proof of the love which God has for our immortal souls, and of the desire He has to draw us to heaven. “Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth” (Hebr. 12:6).

Prayer: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
*Salve Regina

Wednesday

Orthodox Conference of Bishops statement excerpt: 

In times past the believer’s world was fundamentally a Christian world, with heresy, apostasy and sin as the enemies of genuine Christian spiritual life. In times past men and women naturally considered themselves as heirs of a tradition, participants in a culture, members of a church and nation with relatively clear principles and ideals, against which they could dissent if they wished, but to which, in the first instance, they recognized their basic belonging. Today this is no longer the case. Today there are no such fundamental identifications for many people, particularly the young, and particularly in America. Today there are a multitude of people who identify themselves simply as citizens of the world, free agents in a global society, unfettered consumers in a boundless marketplace of opinions and ideas and styles of life emanating from all corners of the universe. Today, in the West generally and in America in particular, the majority of people are given the possibility of picking and choosing the way of life which most pleases them and is most suited to their individual needs, desires and fancies at any given moment.

Thus, in times past when a time of spiritual decadence came upon Christian society; when there was a falling away from the truth of Christ and a deadening of the forms of spiritual life and a drying up of the fountains of grace; when there was a loss of perspective and direction due to new human developments and old human sins, there yet remained within the faltering society the seeds of renewal, recovery and restoration. Today this is not the case. Today the forms of Christian culture and tradition remain while the substance of Christian truth and life is being lost. A mighty rushing wind of a multitude of alien doctrines comes pouring in to fill the vacuum.

Prayer: Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray : O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beg Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
*Regina Coeli

Thursday
3 Kings 12: AFTER the death of Solomon all the people of Israel came to Roboam, his son, and said: “Thy father laid a grievous yoke upon us, do thou take off a little of his most heavy yoke, and we will serve thee.” Roboam told them to come back on the third day, and he would give them his answer. He then took counsel with the ancients of the people who had stood before Solomon, his father, as to what course he should pursue. The ancients advised the king, saying: “If thou wilt yield to this people and speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants always.” Roboam, not satisfied with this advice of the old men, betook himself to the young men who were his own companions, and asked what they would counsel him to do. The young men who had been brought up with him said: “Thus shalt thou speak to this people: My father put a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add to your yoke; my father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.” When the people had returned on the third day for an answer, Roboam spoke to them as the young men had advised. Then, seeing that they had nothing to expect from their new king, ten of the tribes threw off his authority and chose for their king Jeroboam, who had been a servant of Solomon. Only the two tribes of Juda and Benjamin remained with Roboam. From that day forth the people of Israel were divided into two kingdoms, that of Juda and that of Israel.

Jerusalem continued to be the capital of Juda, while Samaria became the capital of Israel. But the effects of the separation went still further; for Jeroboam, king of Israel, thought within himself, that if the people continued to go up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to the Lord in His Temple, their hearts would turn again to Roboam, and the kingdom of Israel would surely return to the house of David.

To avoid this danger he made two golden calves, which he placed at the two extremities of his kingdom, one at Dan and the other at Bethel, and told the people that they should not go up to Jerusalem to worship, for that these were the gods which had brought them out of Egypt. In this way he led the people into idolatry, for they repaired to the places pointed out to them by their king, and worshipped the golden calves.

On the other hand Roboam, king of Juda, who had seen with grief the defection of the ten tribes, was all his life making war on Jeroboam. This state of continued warfare was kept up by their successors on both sides, and more than once the aid of foreign nations was called in by one or the other. In this way did these wicked kings cause much sin and misery among their people.

Even the kings of Juda soon fell into idolatry, and the people, following their example, forgot the worship of the true God and gave themselves up to all manner of wickedness. Thus it went on till destruction overtook both kingdoms.

Prayer: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word. (Repeat HM)

Friday
3 Kings 17: IN order to bring back the kings and the people to better sentiments, God raised up, at different times, holy persons who are known as prophets. These prophets preached penance in a very impressive manner, and they proved the truth of their divine mission by working great miracles.

God revealed to them many future events. They predicted the principal circumstances of the birth, life, passion, death and glory of the Messias. One of the most celebrated of the prophets was Elias. He lived in the reign of Achab, king of Israel. This king was very wicked. None of his predecessors had committed so many crimes as he.

He had married a Gentile woman named Jezabel; and he had built a temple to Baal and had consecrated to the service of that false god four hundred and fifty priests, whilst he had caused the priests of the Lord to be put to death. In a word, his intention seemed to be to destroy the true religion entirely among the ten tribes.

Elias, clad in a rough sheep’s skin and with a staff in his hand, presented himself before Achab and said: “As the Lord liveth, the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these three years, but according to the words of my mouth.” Achab was very angry to hear these words of the prophet, and secretly resolved to put Elias to death.

Then the Lord, knowing the evil intention of the king, commanded Elias to go and conceal himself near the brook Carith, in the vicinity of the Jordan. The prophet obeyed, and behold, the ravens brought him bread or flesh every morning and every evening for many days: and he drank of the torrent.

Some time after the brook ran dry, and the Lord commanded Elias to go to Sarepta (Fig. 48), a city of Sidon. Elias went accordingly, and when he drew near the gate of the city he saw a woman gathering sticks, and he called her and said: “Give me a little water in a vessel that I may drink.”

Prayer: And the Word became Flesh. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Saturday
3 Kings 17 cont… As the woman was going to fetch it he called after her: “Bring me also a morsel of bread.” She answered: “As the Lord thy God liveth, I have no bread, but only a handful of meal in a pot and a little oil in a cruse; I am gathering two sticks that I may go and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.”

The prophet assured her saying: “Fear not, but go and do as thou hast said; but first make for me of the same meal a little hearth-cake. For thus saith the Lord: ‘The pot of meal shall not waste nor the cruse of oil be diminished until the day wherein the Lord will give rain upon the earth.’ ”

The woman did as Elias had told her, and from that day forth she had meal in her pot and oil in her cruse and knew no want, neither Elias nor she nor her son. Now it happened some time after that the son of this poor woman of Sarepta fell sick and died. She said to the prophet: “What have I done to thee, thou man of God? Hast thou come to me that my iniquities should be remembered?” Thereupon Elias took the child and went into the upper chamber, and laid it upon his own bed. Then he cried to the Lord: “O Lord, hast Thou also afflicted the widow with whom I am after a sort maintained?” Then he stretched himself and measured himself three times upon the child; and the soul of the boy returned and he revived.

Elias took the child and brought him down to his mother and said: “Behold, thy son liveth.” Full of joy and gratitude the woman exclaimed: “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.”

Prayer: May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.