The Hound of Heaven- St Dominic

ST DOMINIC

Many of us have our favourite saint.  My favourite saint is St Dominic, who has a very special place in my heart. His feast day is today- 3 August in Australia, whilst the universal church celebrates it on 8th August. You might wonder why his feast day is different from the universal church. Mary McKillop's feast day falls on the 8th August in Australia.

This year is very different from other years of course with the coronavirus.  I will attending Mass online at my parish church where there will be the priest, the reader and the camera operator.  As a parish we normally celebrate our patron saint on the weekend closest to St Dominic with Mass and BBQ. Of course, this has not occurred either, like so many other parishes unable to celebrate their patron saint as well.

Last year, I had the pleasure of celebrating the feast interstate- not just a short holiday but to celebrate the ordination to priesthood of one of the Dominican friars. I am in a Dominican parish so it is always my greatest delight to see the young friars reach ordination. It was extra special because the ordination was on the Feast of St Dominic- how beautiful is that.

Why do I love St Dominic?

St Dominic for me is ‘’my man in heaven’’- that trusted friend whom I can share the ups and downs of life- when I am elated with joy, when I am feeling average or even a little blue, when I need a park, don’t know what to do about something I can ‘’talk it over with him’’.  He is definitely my friend in heaven.

Obviously, He does not and would not want to replace my relationship with God. Obviously, that would be totally out of whack.  However my friendship with him started when I was 6 when I had given up praying to St Martin de Porres (another Dominican saint) who had the gift of bi location.  I thought in my childish way how wonderful it would be if I could be at home and at school at the same time and how efficient time wise that would be.  I spent my whole prep year praying to him. Alas  the gift of bi location was not given and still hasn’t. So I gave up praying to St Martin and I discovered St Dominic. What a find that has been. Because He has been and still is a friend for life.

I never tire reading and finding out more about Dominican saints and of course darling St Dominic.   I recently watched a programme on EWTN 'woman of Grace' which had a series on Dominican saints. The guest of this series was Kevin Vost   who wrote a book called Hounds of the Lord.

So the challenge I ask you is  

• How are you being a hound for Heaven?

• How are you barking for God  as His hound of heaven?  

Collect for 18th Sunday Year A

COLLECT SERIES

 The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT

 

The Collect for the 18th Sunday of Year reads as follows:

 

Draw near to Your servants, O Lord

And answer their prayers with unceasing kindness,

That, for those who glory in You as their Creator and guide,

You may restore what You have created,

And keep safe what You have restored.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible for during the week the following reflection questions emerged:

1.  What is my attitude towards God?   
2.  Do I accept fully that I am created by God and not the Creator?  
3.  Do I believer that God always answers my prayers  with unceasing kindness? 
4.  Consider a prayer/desire/longing that I prayed for with great need and seemingly did not receive.  Can I look back and realise how God answered my prayer in another far better way and/or saved me from a lot of pain.  
5.  Do I truly desire God my Creator to restore me? 
6.  What are the areas in my life that I need God to restore? 
7.  How does God keep safe what He has restored in me?

 

 GOSPEL REFLECTION

Today’s Gospel from St. Matthew 14:13-21 is the miracle of the five loaves and 2 fish when over 5000 people were fed and there were 12 baskets full left over.  It also shows Christ’s loving kindness and thoughtfulness since He saw the people's need - it was late for them to return to their homes and they had had nothing to eat all day - and He worked a miracle to provide for this need.  It was interesting to note the contrast between the loving kindness of Christ and the reaction of the disciples. They were wanting to send the people to the villages to buy for themselves or for them to go home. They did not see a way forward with the little that they had for such a number.  We might ask ourselves how might we respond with the little we have? Are we willing to share it with other people in need?

The Galileans were grateful to Him for providing so kindly and so thoughtfully for their needs. The miracle also helped to convince the people of Galilee - the news spread around quickly - that He was the expected Messiah, but especially it prepared the way for the announcement of the greatest miracle of all - the miracle of the Eucharist.

As St. John tells us Jesus referred to this miracle the next day in order to introduce His promise of the heavenly bread which He would give them and which was to be His own body and blood, under the form of bread and wine. The bread He miraculously multiplied that day to supply the bodily needs of the Galilean multitude was but a foreshadowing of that heavenly food which He was about to give as spiritual nourishment to the millions who would become His followers down through the centuries until the end of time.

We might ask ourselves How much more grateful should we not be for the miracle by means of which He has left us Himself to be our daily spiritual food? Do we receive Jesus fully present in the Eucharist at Mass without any real desire, without any preparation or without any thanksgiving? 

We can also pray for countries in the world where attending Mass is impossible or where governments have forced Catholics to listen to a gospel that they have written and taken out parts of the Gospel which do not fit with their ideology, where they have banned children/young people under 18 from attending and where they are persecuting priests and lay people who do not obey their regime and a whole lot worse.  Let us think of them when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Pray for our Catholic brothers and sisters deprived of their faith and let us cherish our ability to freely attend Mas whilst we still have it.

Has the closing of the churches during covid 19 and attending Mass online increased our hunger for the Eucharist?  Has it made us reflect on how we have received Christ truly present in the Eucharist at Mass in the past and made us resolve to be truly thankful, long for Him and allow Christ to reflect Him in our world?

Though invisible to mortal eyes, He is as truly present on our altars as He was that day in Galilee, when He miraculously fed the multitude. He is present under the form of bread and wine — so that we can partake of Him as spiritual nourishment during our earthly life. Could love go any further? He Himself said: "A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15 :13). Yes, once a man has given his life, he has given his all; there is nothing more he can give. But Christ was more than man. He was God as well, and, therefore, He was able not only to lay down His human life for us, but was able and willing to remain with us after death under the Eucharistic species: to be our strength and nourishment until we join Him in the promised land of heaven.

When we compare our own unworthiness with this, almost incredible, love and thoughtfulness of Christ for us, we may wish to think and pray more fervently and with grate desire:

 "Lord, you know I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof  and to receive you, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed..

 

 

 

 

The Price of My Salvation

REFLECTION AND PRAYER SERIES.

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

 

My Scripture reflection is 

 

''I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation”’   
(Psalm 13:5)

 

Christ The Redeemer.

 

 

My post is called:

 

The Price of my Salvation

God doesn’t see me as small or unworthy-

To Him, I’m not hopeless or lost…

Jesus my Saviour behold me 

with grace that enfolds me-

To Him, I was worth Calvary’s cross.

 

 

 

No 120. How is Jesus’ offering expressed at the Last Supper?

COMPENDIUM SERIES

JESUS THE TEACHER:  Compendium Series Icon.

 

 

No 120.   How is Jesus’ offering expressed at the Last Supper? (CCC 610-611,621)

 

WHAT DOES THE COMPENDIUM SAY?

Compendium states:

‘At the Last Supper with His Apostles on the eve of His Passion, Jesus anticipated, that is, both symbolized His free self-offering and made it really present “This is My Body given for you ( Lk 22:19), This is My Blood poured out ( Mt 26:28). Thus He both instituted the Eucharist as ‘the memorial’ (1 Corinthians 11:25) of His sacrifice and instituted the Apostles as priests of the new covenant.’

 

What does this mean for me?

1.    In honour of Jesus’s free self-offering and making Himself truly present, I resolve to appreciate the gift of the Mass and receiving Jesus in Holy Communion more by making a better preparation for Mass and a sincere thanksgiving after Communion.

2.    Because Jesus instituted the Apostles as priests at the Last Supper, I can make every effort to appreciate my pastor/parish priest and to be thankful that through his ministry, Jesus is made truly present at Mass.

3.    I can make a commitment to pray for priests every day but especially my pastor/parish priest who acts in the persona of Christ at Mass and the sacraments.

 

Questions to consider.

1. .     What has been/is my attitude to receiving Jesus in Holy Communion at Mass? How have I received Holy Communion in the past and currently?  Do I believe that Jesus is truly present when I receive Holy Communion?
   
   
2. .       Do I ask for the graces of the Eucharist to be poured upon me?
   
   
3. .      In the light of Coronavirus and our parish churches closed, how can I continue to stay close to Jesus and remain faithful? 
   
   
4. .      In the light of the Coronavirus and parish churches are closed, how has it changed my attitude to receiving Christ through a spiritual communion?
   
   
5. .      How do I experience God’s divine love every day?
   
   
6. .      In what areas of my life do I need conversion of heart and need personal reconciliation with God?
   
   
7. .      Are there people in my life that I need to be reconciled?  What actions am I able to make to enter into a process of reconciliation?   

 

 

 

 

Collect for 16th Sunday of Year.

COLLECT SERIES

 

The Mass: Collect Series Icon.

COLLECT

The Collect for the 16th Sunday of Year reads as follows:

Show favour O Lord to Your servants

And mercifully increase the gifts of Your grace,

That, made fervent in hope, faith and charity,

They may be ever watchful in keeping Your commands.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible for during the week the following reflection questions emerged:

1.What are the areas of favour I would like to experience from God?  (spiritual, physical emotional, financial, social).

2.What are the gifts of Your grace- e.g.: the virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the commandments, sacraments, sacramentals.

3.What do the virtues of hope, faith and charity mean to me? You may find easily accessible answers in Compendium of the Catholic Church and in Catechcism of the Catholic church.

4.What are the commands of God?  Which commands do I find difficult to keep? Why?

5.What definite and practical steps will I put into place this coming week to become closer to God.?  Eg If I have not sat with the scripture to read it, I will choose to read a passage every day for a week for 5 minutes.  If I am familiar with reading scripture, then what area of my spiritual life needs attention?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Today’s Gospel is a wonderful or fearful Gospel depending on our mindset. I think of it as a wonderful Gospel reading passage because it:

·         Reminds us that we are on a pilgrimage here on earth- our homeland is in heaven.

·         Reminds us to examine our lives and make necessary changes to our pilgrimage journey whilst we have the time here on earth.  It finishes with ‘Listen, anyone who has ears. ‘

Jesus came to save everyone. His salvation is for all.  However, God also gave us His freed will to choose Him or not.  If we decide not follow Him, Jesus respects our choice but we need to understand that Jesus does not put us into Hell but we have chosen by our own choice to go there.

The choice is stark for the end goal- Heaven or Hell.  The choice is ours.  We make it every day and in every moment of everyday.  We can, with God’s grace turn our choice around if we have been heading in the wrong direction.  Jesus is mild in judgement and lenient as the first reading  from Wisdom mentions. We are also reminded in the Responsorial Psalm that ‘The Lord is good and forgiving’.

Make your choice today and let’s continue to journey towards Heaven this coming.

God's loving grace

REFLECTION AND PRAYER SERIES.

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

 

My Scripture reflection is 

 

''From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another”’   
( 1 Jn 1:16)

 

Christ The Redeemer.

 

 

My post is called:

 

God’s loving Grace.

 

Whatever the thorn that causes my pain,

Let me count it, not loss but my spiritual’s gain.

For as long as the Lord leaves the brier in place.

Let me accept is a blessing, a thorn of His grace.

No 119 In what way did Jesus offer Himself to the Father?

COMPENDIUM SERIES

                          JESUS THE TEACHER:  Compendium Series Icon.

 

No 119.   In what way did Jesus offer Himself to the Father? (CCC 606-609,620)

WHAT DOES THE COMPENDIUM SAY?

Compendium states:

‘The entire life of Christ was a free offering to the Father to carry out His plan of salvation.  He gave ‘His life as a ransom for many’ (Mk 10:45) and in this way, He reconciled all of humanity to God.  His suffering and death show how His humanity was the free and perfect instrument of that divine love which desires the salvation of all people.’

What does this mean for me?

1.    I can read and meditate on the passion and death of Jesus regularly to remind myself of God’s great love.
2.   Every time I see a crucifix or an image of it, or I make the sign of the cross, I can thank God for the perfect love of Jesus who desires my salvation.

Questions to consider.

1. .    What does the free offering of Jesus to carry out the plan of salvation mean to me 
2.       Do I believe in my heart that Jesus died for me personally?  
3.      How can we be converted in our hearts and re-evaluate my relationship with God?    
4.     In what areas of my life do I need conversion of heart and need personal reconciliation with God?
5.  Are there people in my life that I need to be reconciled?  What actions am I able to make to enter into a process of reconciliation?
6.   In the light of Coronavirus and our parish churches closed, how can I continue to stay close to Jesus and remain faithful? 
7. How do I experience God’s divine love every day?