September 2024 – St. Juliana Catholic Church

Tempering Our Vices Through Prayer / Moderar los Vicios con la Oración

I will be the first to admit that I am not a very patient person. Sure, I could blame it on how the world we live in offers immediate gratification, information at our fingertips or food through a drive thru window. I could blame it on my upbringing, noticing similar behaviors coming from my parents, and imitating that. I could blame it on the fact that every minute is a commodity in my very busy life and I just don’t have time for things to take longer than what I have on my schedule. I could blame it on any number of things, but truth be told, it is simply a virtue I have yet to acquire.

I’m sure you’ve heard the adage “Never ask for patience because God will give you many opportunities to use it.” I have definitely had many opportunities to grow in patience, but I feel like I simply grow more impatient instead. I find my mind spinning with thoughts like, “I can do that in 30 minutes, why can’t they?” or constantly saying to my children, “Would you just hurry up!” Nothing ever seems to be done fast enough for my liking, so I grumble and stress out.

It sounds like the disciples in Corinth were displaying some impatience of their own in today’s first reading. Paul admonished them saying, “when you come together to eat, wait for one another.” It appears as if when they got together as a community of believers, those who arrived first would go ahead and eat while others went hungry. This behavior was the exact opposite of the unity and charity we are all called to live out as Christians. So Paul encouraged them to offer supplication, prayer, petition, and thanksgiving. “It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.”

What a wise piece of advice! And it still holds true for us today. When you are tempted to be impatient, pray. When you are tempted to anger, pray. When you feel the urge to argue, pray. When you are starving and don’t want to wait for your kids to get home from practice to have dinner, pray. Lifting our minds and hearts to God will put things back in perspective and temper our vices.

We can also learn from the humility of the centurion in today’s Gospel, who felt unworthy to be in the Lord’s presence, so first he sent Jewish elders and then he sent friends with messages. He was a high-ranking official and well respected by many, yet he understood his rank before Jesus, his nothingness. His words “I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof” are so indicative of each one of us that we say them each and every time we go to Mass.

Lord, I come before you today in humility to ask that you may increase in me and I may decrease (especially in impatience). Amen.

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Seré el primero en admitir que no soy una persona muy paciente. Claro, podría echarle la culpa a cómo el mundo donde vivimos ofrece gratificación inmediata, información al toque del teclado o comida a través de una ventanilla. Podría echarle la culpa a como me criaron, al notar ciertos comportamientos en mis padres e imitarlos. Podría echarle la culpa al hecho de que cada minuto es una comodidad en mi vida tan ocupada y simplemente no tengo tiempo para que las cosas tomen más tiempo de lo que tengo planeado. Podría echarle la culpa a muchas cosas, pero si soy sincera, es simplemente una virtud que todavía me hace falta adquirir.

Estoy segura de que has escuchado el dicho “Nunca pidas paciencia porque Dios te dará muchas oportunidades para usarla”. Definitivamente he tenido muchas oportunidades de crecer en la paciencia, pero siento que en lugar de mejorar, me estoy volviendo más y más impaciente. Me entran pensamientos como: “Puedo hacer esto en 30 minutos, ¿por qué ellos no?” O les digo constantemente a mis hijos: “¡Apúrense!”. Es como que nadie hace nada lo suficientemente rápido para mi gusto, así que me quejo y me estreso.

Parece que los discípulos de Corinto estaban mostrando cierta impaciencia en la primera lectura de hoy también. Pablo les amonesta por no esperar a sus hermanos para comer y por estar discutiendo. Este comportamiento fue exactamente lo contrario de la unidad y la caridad que todos estamos llamados a vivir como cristianos. Entonces Pablo los animó a ofrecer súplicas, oraciones, peticiones y acciones de gracias. “Quiero, pues, que los hombres, libres de odios y divisiones, hagan oración donde quiera que se encuentren, levantando al cielo sus manos puras.”

¡Qué sabio consejo! Y sigue siendo válido para nosotros hoy. Cuando estés tentado a la impaciencia, reza. Cuando estés tentado a enojarte, reza. Cuando sientas la necesidad de discutir, reza. Cuando estés hambriento y no quieras esperar a que tus hijos lleguen a casa después del entrenamiento para cenar, reza. Elevar la mente y el corazón a Dios nos reorienta y nos ayuda a moderar los vicios.

También podemos aprender de la humildad del centurión del Evangelio de hoy, quien se sintió indigno de estar en la presencia del Señor, por lo que primero envió a unos ancianos judíos y luego a unos amigos como mensajeros suyos. Era un funcionario de alto rango y muy respetado por muchos, pero comprendía su rango ante Jesús, su nada. Sus palabras “yo no soy digno de que tú entres en mi casa” son tan indicativas de cada uno de nosotros que las decimos cada vez que vamos a Misa.

Señor, hoy vengo ante ti con humildad para pedirte que tú crezcas en mí y yo disminuya (especialmente en la impaciencia). Amén.

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Feature Image Credit: Pedro Lima, https://unsplash.com/photos/people-inside-room-HtwsbbClBOs

Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works full time at Diocesan, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for over 20 years.

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

Readings for the Memorial of Saint Cornelius, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr

Reading 1 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33

Brothers and sisters:
In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact
that your meetings are doing more harm than good.
First of all, I hear that when you meet as a Church
there are divisions among you,
and to a degree I believe it;
there have to be factions among you
in order that also those who are approved among you
may become known.
When you meet in one place, then,
it is not to eat the Lord’s supper,
for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper,
and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.
Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink?
Or do you show contempt for the Church of God
and make those who have nothing feel ashamed?
What can I say to you? Shall I praise you?
In this matter I do not praise you.

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, “This is my Body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17

R. (1 Cor 11:26b) Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

Alleluia Jn 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 7:1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
“He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

St. Cornelius, Pope, Martyr and St. Cyprian, Bishop, Martyr

Feast date: Sep 16

Saint Cornelius was elected Pope in 251 during the persecutions of the Emperor Decius. His first challenge, besides the ever present threat of the Roman authorities, was to bring an end to the schism brought on by his rival, the first anti-pope Novatian. He convened a synod of bishops to confirm him as the rightful successor of Peter.

The great controversy that arose as a result of the Decian persecution was whether or not the Church could pardon and receive back into the Church those who had apostacized in the face of martyrdom.

Against both the bishops who argued that the Church could not welcome back apostates, and those who argued that they should be welcomed back but did not demand a heavy penance of the penitent, Cornelius decreed that they must be welcomed back and insisted that they perform an adequate penance.

In 253 Cornelius was exiled by the emperor Gallus and died of the hardships he endured in exile. He is venerated as a martyr.

Saint Cyprian of Carthage is second in importance only to the great Saint Augustine as a figure and Father of the African church. He was a close friend of Pope Cornelius, and supported him both against the anti-pope Novatian and in his views concerning the re-admittance of apostates into the Church.

Saint Cyprian was born to wealthy pagans around the year 190, and was educated in the classics and in rhetoric. He converted at the age of 56, was ordained a priest a year later, and made bishop two years after that.

His writings are of great importance, especially his treatise on The Unity of the Catholic Church, in which he argues that unity is grounded in the authority of the bishop, and among the bishops, in the primacy of the See of Rome.

In, “The Unity of the Catholic Church,” St. Cyprian writes, “You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother…. God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one; one is the faith, and one is the people cemented together by harmony into the strong unity of a body…. If we are the heirs of Christ, let us abide in the peace of Christ; if we are the sons of God, let us be lovers of peace.”

During the Decian persecutions Cyprian considered it wiser to go into hiding and guide his flock covertly rather than seek the glorious crown of martyrdom, a decision that his enemies attacked him for.

On September 14, 258, however, he was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Valerian.

Humility / La Humildad

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I have always been so easily influenced by others’ opinions of me. I want to be loved, or at least well-liked, by all I meet. It is a natural human tendency. The compulsive need to check email or Facebook messages relays back the same feelings – is there anyone out there looking to connect with me?

It is so easy to be distracted by worldly comforts brought forth by people, as well as material possessions. In today’s Gospel, Christ proclaims of the need to separate ourselves from these habits. Sometime while we’re praying the Litany of Humility, we might ask ourselves if we really want these petitions to become true. To deny ourselves feels paradoxical, especially living in a society that highly values each human’s right to so many freedoms. I think we can often reach above and beyond that which we’re entitled to.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis noted pride as the ultimate “anti-God”, which leads to every other vice. In contrast, St. Bernard declares that Jesus Christ is the ultimate definition of humility. We are so used to the comforts of the world around us. Christ also lived as a human being with similar circumstances, yet made the ultimate sacrifice of giving it all away for our sake, despite our extreme unworthiness.

Today, let’s ask ourselves if we know that God is who he says He is. May we truly know the truth that takes precedence over all our individual matters, that Christ suffered and died in great humility and out of a deep love for us.

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Siempre me he dejado influenciar muy fácilmente por las opiniones que los demás tienen sobre mí. Quiero ser amada, o por lo menos querida, por todos los que conozco. Es una tendencia humana natural. La necesidad compulsiva de revisar el correo electrónico o los mensajes de Facebook transmite los mismos sentimientos: ¿hay alguien que quiera conectarse conmigo?

Es muy fácil distraerse con las comodidades mundanas que brinda la gente, así como con las posesiones materiales. En el evangelio de hoy, Cristo proclama la necesidad de separarnos de estos hábitos. En algún momento, mientras rezamos las Letanías de la Humildad, podríamos preguntarnos si realmente queremos que estas peticiones se hagan realidad. Negarnos a nosotros mismos parece paradójico, especialmente viviendo en una sociedad que valora mucho el derecho de cada ser humano a tantas libertades. Creo que a menudo podemos ir más allá de lo que tenemos derecho.

En su libro Mero Cristianismo, C.S. Lewis destacó el orgullo como el máximo “anti-Dios”, que conduce a todos los demás vicios. En cambio, San Bernardo declara que Jesucristo es la definición última de la humildad. Estamos tan acostumbrados a las comodidades del mundo que nos rodea. Cristo también vivió como un ser humano en circunstancias semejantes, pero hizo el sacrificio supremo de entregarlo todo por el bien de todos nosotros, a pesar de nuestra indignidad extrema.

Preguntémonos hoy si sabemos que Dios verdaderamente es quien dice ser. Que podamos conocer verdaderamente la verdad que tiene prioridad sobre todos nuestros asuntos individuales: que Cristo sufrió y murió con gran humildad y por un profundo amor por nosotros.

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Dr. Alexis Dallara-Marsh is a board-certified neurologist who practices in Bergen County, NJ. She is a wife to her best friend, Akeem, and a mother of two little ones on Earth and two others in heaven above.

Feature Image Credit: Grégoire Huret, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/christ-washing-feet-of-his-disciples-745/