Sunday
\nLuke 12:\u00a0Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: \u201cThe ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.17And he thought within himself, saying, \u2018What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?\u201918So he said, \u2018I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.19\u2019And I will say to my soul, \u201cSoul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.\u201d \u201820But God said to him, \u2018Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?\u201921So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.\u201d<\/p>\n
OSB Commentary:\u00a0\u00a0‘Whose will those things be which you have provided?’ is the key to understanding the saving up of material goods. St. John Chrysostom writes that the only barns we need we already have: \u201cthe stomachs of the poor.\u201d St. Basil the Great taught that the bread in our cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in our closet belong to the one who has no shoes; and the money we hoard belongs to the poor. St. Ambrose teaches, \u201cThe things which we cannot take with us are not ours. Only virtue will be our companion when we die.\u201d Even when Joseph stored up grain in Egypt it was for the benefit of the whole nation. These teachings apply to parishes as well as to each person.<\/p>\n
Monday<\/p>\n
2 Corinthians 6:<\/p>\n
Behold, now is<\/i> the accepted time; behold, now is<\/i> the day of salvation.<\/span><\/p>\n 3\u00a0<\/sup>We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. <\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>But in all things<\/i> we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, <\/span> 5\u00a0<\/sup>in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, <\/span> 7\u00a0<\/sup>by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet<\/i> true; <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>as unknown, and yet<\/i> well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet<\/i> not killed; <\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet<\/i> possessing all things.<\/span><\/p>\n 11\u00a0<\/sup>O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. <\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own<\/i> affections. <\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.<\/span><\/p>\n 14\u00a0<\/sup>Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? <\/span> 15\u00a0<\/sup>And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? <\/span> 16\u00a0<\/sup>And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you[b<\/a>]<\/sup> are the temple of the living God.<\/span><\/p>\n Tuesday<\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 8:<\/p>\n Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. <\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>For I bear witness that according to their<\/i> ability, yes, and beyond their<\/i> ability, they were<\/i> freely willing, <\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>imploring us with much urgency that we would receive[a<\/a>]<\/sup> the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. <\/span> 5\u00a0<\/sup>And not only<\/i> as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then<\/i> to us by the will of God. <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. <\/span> 7\u00a0<\/sup>But as you abound in everything\u2014in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us\u2014see<\/i> that you abound in this grace also.<\/span><\/p>\n 8\u00a0<\/sup>I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.<\/span><\/p>\n 10\u00a0<\/sup>And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; <\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>but now you also must complete the doing of it;<\/i> that as there was<\/i> a readiness to desire it,<\/i> so there<\/i> also may be<\/i> a completion out of what you<\/i> have. <\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>For if there is first a willing mind, it is<\/i> accepted according to what one has, and<\/i> not according to what he does not have.<\/span><\/p>\n 13\u00a0<\/sup>For I do<\/i> not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; <\/span> 14\u00a0<\/sup>but by an equality, that<\/i> now at this time your abundance may supply<\/i> their lack, that their abundance also may supply<\/i> your lack\u2014that there may be equality. <\/span> 15\u00a0<\/sup>As it is written, \u201cHe who<\/span> gathered<\/i> much had nothing left over, and he who<\/span> gathered<\/i> little had no lack.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Tuesday<\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 9:<\/p>\n 6\u00a0<\/sup>But this I say:<\/i> He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. <\/span> 7\u00a0<\/sup>So let<\/i> each one give<\/i> as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>And God is<\/i> able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things,<\/i> may have an abundance for every good work. <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>As it is written:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe has dispersed abroad,<\/span><\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>Now may[c<\/a>]<\/sup> He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown<\/i> and increase the fruits of your righteousness, <\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>while you are<\/i> enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. <\/span> 12\u00a0<\/sup>For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, <\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your<\/i> liberal sharing with them and all men,<\/i> <\/span> 14\u00a0<\/sup>and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. <\/span> 15\u00a0<\/sup>Thanks be<\/i> to God for His indescribable gift!<\/span><\/p>\n Wednesday<\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 10:<\/p>\n Now I, Paul, myself am<\/i> pleading with you<\/i> by the meekness and gentleness of Christ\u2014who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. <\/span> 2\u00a0<\/sup>But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. <\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. <\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>For the weapons of our warfare are<\/i> not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, <\/span> 5\u00a0<\/sup>casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.<\/span><\/p>\n 7\u00a0<\/sup>Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is<\/i> Christ\u2019s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ\u2019s, even so we are<\/i> Christ\u2019s.[a<\/a>]<\/sup> <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us[b<\/a>]<\/sup> for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed\u2014 <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>lest I seem to terrify you by letters. <\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cFor his<\/i> letters,\u201d they say, \u201care<\/i> weighty and powerful, but his<\/i> bodily presence is<\/i> weak, and his<\/i> speech contemptible.\u201d <\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will<\/i> also be<\/i> in deed when we are present.<\/span><\/p>\n Thursday<\/p>\n Two Thanksgiving Psalms<\/p>\n Psalm 100 :\u00a0 \u00a0 Make a joyful shout to the Lord<\/span>, all you lands!<\/span><\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,<\/span> Psalm 117:<\/p>\n O praise the Lord<\/span>, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>2\u00a0<\/sup>For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord<\/span> endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Friday<\/p>\n 2 Corinthians 11:2<\/p>\n For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as<\/i> a chaste virgin to Christ. <\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity[a<\/a>]<\/sup> that is in Christ. <\/span> 4\u00a0<\/sup>For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if<\/i> you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted\u2014you may well put up with it!<\/span><\/p>\n 5\u00a0<\/sup>For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. <\/span> 6\u00a0<\/sup>Even though I am<\/i> untrained in speech, yet I am<\/i> not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested[b<\/a>]<\/sup> among you in all things.<\/span><\/p>\n 7\u00a0<\/sup>Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? <\/span> 8\u00a0<\/sup>I robbed other churches, taking wages from them<\/i> to minister to you. <\/span> 9\u00a0<\/sup>And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself<\/i>. <\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. <\/span> 11\u00a0<\/sup>Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!<\/span><\/p>\n 12\u00a0<\/sup>But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. <\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>For such are<\/i> false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. <\/span> 14\u00a0<\/sup>And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. <\/span>
\nHe has given to the poor;<\/span><\/span>
\nHis righteousness endures forever.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>Serve the Lord<\/span> with gladness;<\/span>
\nCome before His presence with singing.<\/span>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>Know that the Lord<\/span>, He is<\/i> God;<\/span>
\nIt is<\/i> He who<\/i> has made us, and not we ourselves;[a<\/a>]<\/sup><\/span>
\nWe are<\/i> His people and the sheep of His pasture.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nAnd<\/i> into His courts with praise.<\/span>
\nBe thankful to Him, and<\/i> bless His name.<\/span>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>For the Lord<\/span> is<\/i> good;<\/span>
\nHis mercy is<\/i> everlasting,<\/span>
\nAnd His truth endures<\/i> to all generations.<\/span><\/p>\n