Sunday
\nLuke 13:<\/p>\n
22\u00a0<\/sup>And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. <\/span> 23\u00a0<\/sup>Then one said to Him, \u201cLord, are there few who are saved?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And He said to them, <\/span> 24\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cStrive to enter through the narrow gate, for<\/span> many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.<\/span> <\/span> 25\u00a0<\/sup>When once the Master of the house has risen up and<\/span> shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying,<\/span> \u2018Lord, Lord, open for us,\u2019 and He will answer and say to you,<\/span> \u2018I do not know you, where you are from,\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 26\u00a0<\/sup>then you will begin to say, \u2018We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 27\u00a0<\/sup>But He will say, \u2018I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.<\/span> Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 28\u00a0<\/sup>There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,<\/span> when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.<\/span> <\/span> 29\u00a0<\/sup>They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.<\/span> <\/span> 30\u00a0<\/sup>And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 31\u00a0<\/sup>[i<\/a>]<\/sup>On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, \u201cGet out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 32\u00a0<\/sup>And He said to them, \u201cGo, tell that fox, \u2018Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day<\/i><\/span> I shall be<\/span> [j<\/a>]<\/sup>perfected.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 33\u00a0<\/sup>Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day<\/i> following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 34\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cO Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers<\/i> her brood under her<\/i> wings, but you were not willing!<\/span> <\/span> 35\u00a0<\/sup>See!<\/span> Your house is left to you desolate; and<\/span> [k<\/a>]<\/sup>assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time<\/i> comes when you say,<\/span> \u2018Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord<\/span>!\u2019<\/span> \u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Prayer:\u00a0 O Lord, our God, in Thy goodness and love for men forgive me all the sins I have committed today in word, deed or thought. Grant me peaceful and undisturbed sleep. Send Thy Guardian Angel to guard and protect me from all evil. For Thou art the guardian of our souls and bodies, and to Thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. Monday Certainly, only those who make a serious effort can reach the goal of Salvation (cf. Lk 16:16; Mt 11:12). Our Lord tells us so by using the simile of the narrow gate. \u201cA Christian\u2019s struggle must be unceasing, for interior life consists in beginning and beginning again. This prevents us from proudly thinking that we are perfect already. It is inevitable that we should meet difficulties on our way. If we did not come up against obstacles, we would not be creatures of flesh and blood. We will always have passions which pull us downwards; we will always have to defend ourselves against more or less self-defeating urges\u201d St Josemaria. Escriv\u00e1, Christ is passing by, 75).<\/p>\n <\/a>25-28 As at other times, Jesus describes eternal life by using the example of a banquet (cf., for example, Lk 12:35ff; 14:15). Knowing the Lord and listening to his preaching is not enough for getting to heaven; what God judges on is how we respond to the grace he gives us: \u201cNot every one who says to me, \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven\u201d (Mt 7:21).<\/p>\n Prayer:\u00a0 O come, let us worship God our King. Tuesday Prayer:\u00a0 Soul of Christ, sanctify me, Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me, Water from Christ’s side, wash me, Passion of Christ, strengthen me, O good Jesus, hear me, Within Thy wounds hide me, Suffer me not to be separated from Thee, From the malicious enemy defend me, In the hour of my death call me, And bid me come unto Thee, That I may praise Thee with Thy saints, and with Thy angels, Forever and ever, Amen.<\/p>\n Wednesday Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. <\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, \u201cIs it lawful to heal on the<\/span> [a<\/a>]<\/sup>Sabbath?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 4\u00a0<\/sup>But they kept silent. And He took him<\/i> and healed him, and let him go. <\/span> 5\u00a0<\/sup>Then He answered them, saying, \u201cWhich of you, having a<\/span> [b<\/a>]<\/sup>donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?\u201d<\/span> <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>And they could not answer Him regarding these things.<\/span><\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n Fanaticism is always evil. It often causes blindness and leads a person, as in this case, to deny the principles of justice and charity and even basic humanitarianism. We should never be fanatical about anything \u2014 no matter how sacred it is.<\/p>\n Prayer:\u00a0 Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.\u00a0 Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. <\/p>\n Thursday 7\u00a0<\/sup>So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cWhen you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;<\/span> <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>and he who invited you and him come and say to you, \u2018Give place to this man,\u2019 and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.<\/span> <\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, \u2018Friend, go up higher.\u2019 Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.<\/span> <\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>For whoever exalts himself will be<\/span> [c<\/a>]<\/sup>humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 12\u00a0<\/sup>Then He also said to him who invited Him, \u201cWhen you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.<\/span> <\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>But when you give a feast, invite<\/span> the<\/i> poor, the<\/i><\/span> [d<\/a>]<\/sup>maimed, the<\/i> lame, the<\/i> blind.<\/span> <\/span> 14\u00a0<\/sup>And you will be<\/span> blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Prayer:\u00a0 Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit,\u00a0 grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.<\/p>\n Friday Prayer:\u00a0 With the Saints, give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sighing, but life everlasting. <\/p>\n Saturday 15\u00a0<\/sup>Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, \u201cBlessed is<\/i> he who shall eat [e<\/a>]<\/sup>bread in the kingdom of God!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 16\u00a0<\/sup>Then He said to him, \u201cA certain man gave a great supper and invited many,<\/span> <\/span> 17\u00a0<\/sup>and<\/span> sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, \u2018Come, for all things are now ready.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>But they all with one accord<\/i> began to make excuses. The first said to him, \u2018I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 19\u00a0<\/sup>And another said, \u2018I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 20\u00a0<\/sup>Still another said, \u2018I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 21\u00a0<\/sup>So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, \u2018Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the<\/i> poor and the<\/i><\/span> [f<\/a>]<\/sup>maimed and the<\/i> lame and the<\/i> blind.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 22\u00a0<\/sup>And the servant said, \u2018Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 23\u00a0<\/sup>Then the master said to the servant, \u2018Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them<\/i> to come in, that my house may be filled.<\/span> <\/span> 24\u00a0<\/sup>For I say to you<\/span> that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.\u2019 \u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Prayer:\u00a0 Lord, I have cried to Thee, hearken unto me. Hearken unto me, O Lord. Lord, I have cried to Thee, hearken unto me.\u00a0 Attend to the voice of my prayer, when I cry unto Thee. Hearken unto me, O Lord. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before Thee, the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.\u00a0 Hearken unto me, O Lord. Sunday Luke 13: 22\u00a0And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23\u00a0Then one said to Him, \u201cLord, are there few who are saved?\u201d And He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-orthodox-daily-devotional","has_no_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13009"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13012,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13009\/revisions\/13012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n*(Evening Prayer and Confession of Sins)<\/p>\n
\nNavarre Commentary on the Narrow Way….<\/p>\n
\nO come, let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and God.
\nO come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and God.<\/p>\n
\nNavarre Commentary on the breadth of Salvation:\u00a0\u00a0Generally speaking, the Jewish people regarded themselves as the sole beneficiaries of the messianic promises made by the prophets; but Jesus proclaims that salvation is open to everyone. The only condition he lays down is that men freely respond to God\u2019s merciful call. When Christ died on the Cross the veil of the Temple was torn in two (Lk 23:45 and par.), a sign of the end of the distinction between Jews and Gentiles. St Paul teaches: \u201cFor he [Christ] is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall … that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end\u201d (Eph 2:14-16). Therefore, \u201call men are called to belong to the new people of God. This people therefore, whilst remaining one and only one, is to be spread throughout the whole world and to all ages in order that the design of God\u2019s will may be fulfilled: he made human nature one in the beginning and has decreed that all his children who were scattered should be finally gathered together as one\u201d (Vatican II, Lumen gentium, 13).<\/p>\n
\nLuke 14: 1<\/p>\n
\n*Memorare<\/p>\n
\nLuke 14:<\/p>\n
\nCommentary on\u00a0 those seeking the best places:\u00a0\u00a0Humility is so necessary for salvation that Jesus takes every opportunity to stress its importance. Here he uses the attitudes of people at a banquet to remind us again that it is God who assigns the places at the heavenly banquet. \u201cTogether with humility, the realization the greatness of man\u2019s dignity \u2014 and of the overwhelming fact that, by grace; we are made children of God \u2014 forms a single attitude. It is not our own efforts that save us and give us life; it is the grace of God. This is a truth which must never be forgotten\u201d (J. Escriv\u00e1, Christ is passing by, 133).<\/p>\n
\n*Kontakion of the Departed<\/p>\n
\nLuke 14:<\/p>\n
\n*Psalm 140 (141)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"