Sunday<\/p>\n
Navarre commentary on the banquet of Luke 14…
\n\u201cCompel people to come in\u201d: it is not a matter of forcing anyone\u2019s freedom \u2014 God does not want us to love him under duress \u2014 but of helping a person to make right decisions, to shrug off any human respect, to avoid the occasion of sin, to do what he can to discover the truth\u2026 A person is \u201ccompelled to come in\u201d through prayer, the example of a Christian life, friendship \u2014 in a word, apostolate. \u201cIf in order to save an earthly life it is praiseworthy to use force to stop a man from committing suicide, are we not to be allowed use the same force \u2014 holy coercion \u2014 to save the Life (with a capital) of many who are stupidly bent on killing their souls?\u201d (J. Escriv\u00e1, The Way)<\/p>\n
Prayer:
\nWe adore Thee O Christ and we bless Thee for by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.<\/p>\n
Monday 34\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cSalt is<\/i> good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?<\/span> <\/span> 35\u00a0<\/sup>It is neither fit for the land nor for the<\/span> [g<\/a>]<\/sup>dunghill, but<\/i> men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Prayer: <\/p>\n Tuesday Prayer: <\/p>\n Wednesday<\/p>\n Luke 15:1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, \u201cThis Man [a<\/a>]<\/sup>receives sinners and eats with them.\u201d <\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>So He spoke this parable to them, saying:<\/span><\/p>\n 4\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cWhat man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?<\/span> <\/span> 5\u00a0<\/sup>And when he has found it,<\/i> he lays it<\/i> on his shoulders, rejoicing.<\/span> <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>And when he comes home, he calls together his<\/i> friends and neighbors, saying to them,<\/span> \u2018Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep<\/span> which was lost!\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 7\u00a0<\/sup>I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents<\/span> than over ninety-nine<\/span> [b<\/a>]<\/sup>just persons who<\/span> need no repentance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 8\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cOr what woman, having ten silver<\/span> [c<\/a>]<\/sup>coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?<\/i><\/span> <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>And when she has found it,<\/i> she calls her<\/i> friends and neighbors together, saying, \u2018Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Prayer:<\/p>\n Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.<\/p>\n Thursday This does not mean that our Lord does not value the perseverance of the just: he is simply emphasizing the joy of God and the saints over the conversion of a sinner. This is clearly a call to repentance, to never doubt God\u2019s readiness to forgive. \u201cAnother fall, and what a fall! \u2026 Must you give up hope? No. Humble yourself and, through Mary, your Mother, have recourse to the merciful Love of Jesus. A miserere, and lift up your heart! And now begin again\u201d (J. Escriv\u00e1, The Way)<\/p>\n Prayer: Friday 11\u00a0<\/sup>Then He said: \u201cA certain man had two sons.<\/span> <\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>And the younger of them said to his<\/i> father, \u2018Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.<\/i>\u2019 So he divided to them<\/span> his<\/i> livelihood.<\/span> <\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with<\/span> [d<\/a>]<\/sup>prodigal living.<\/span> <\/span> 14\u00a0<\/sup>But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.<\/span> <\/span> 15\u00a0<\/sup>Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.<\/span> <\/span> 16\u00a0<\/sup>And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the<\/span> [e<\/a>]<\/sup>pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 17\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cBut when he came to himself, he said, \u2018How many of my father\u2019s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!<\/span> <\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, \u201cFather,<\/span> I have sinned against heaven and before you,<\/span> <\/span> 19\u00a0<\/sup>and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.\u201d \u2019<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 20\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cAnd he arose and came to his father. But<\/span> when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.<\/span> <\/span> 21\u00a0<\/sup>And the son said to him, \u2018Father, I have sinned against heaven<\/span> and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nLuke 14:25\u00a0<\/sup>Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, <\/span> 26\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cIf anyone comes to Me<\/span> and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters,<\/span> yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.<\/span> <\/span> 27\u00a0<\/sup>And<\/span> whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.<\/span> <\/span> 28\u00a0<\/sup>For<\/span> which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough<\/i> to finish it<\/i>\u2014<\/span> <\/span> 29\u00a0<\/sup>lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it<\/i> begin to mock him,<\/span> <\/span> 30\u00a0<\/sup>saying, \u2018This man began to build and was not able to finish\u2019?<\/span> <\/span> 31\u00a0<\/sup>Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?<\/span> <\/span> 32\u00a0<\/sup>Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.<\/span> <\/span> 33\u00a0<\/sup>So likewise, whoever of you<\/span> does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nLet the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer<\/p>\n
\nCommentary on Leaving all for Christ:\u00a0\u00a0This verse must be understood, therefore, in the context of all our Lord\u2019s teachings (cf. Lk 6:27.35). These are \u201chard words. True, \u2018hate\u2019 does not exactly express what Jesus meant. Yet he did put it very strongly, because he doesn\u2019t just mean \u2018love less,\u2019 as some people interpret it in an attempt to tone down the sentence. The force behind these vigorous words does not lie in their implying a negative or pitiless attitude, for the Jesus who is speaking here is none other than that Jesus who commands us to love others as we love ourselves and who gives up his life for mankind. These words indicate simply that we cannot be half-hearted when it comes to loving God. Christ\u2019s words could be translated as \u2018love more, love better,\u2019 in the sense that a selfish or partial love is not enough: we have to love others with the love of God\u201d (J. Escriv\u00e1, Christ is passing by)<\/p>\n
\nO Lord come to my assistance, O Lord make haste to help me.<\/p>\n
\nNavarre Commentary on salvation:\u00a0 \u00a0Christian tradition, on the basis of this and other Gospel passages (cf. Jn 10:11), applies this parable to Christ, the Good Shepherd, who misses and then seeks out the lost sheep: the Word, by becoming man, seeks out mankind, which has strayed through sinning. Here is St Gregory the Great\u2019s commentary: \u201cHe put the sheep on his shoulders because, on taking on human nature, he burdened himself with our sins\u201d (In Evangelia homiliae, II, 14).<\/p>\n
\nHoly, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, the whole earth is filled with Thy Glory.<\/p>\n
\nLuke 15:<\/p>\n