5th Sunday after Pentecost

The Jews have killed Jesus; He was buried, but He has risen from the tomb as He said. After many weeks, He has now sent the Holy Ghost to teach the world of its sin, and hopefully to bring them to within the fold of Christ. However, they, for the most part, will reject His teachings, Him, and whosoever He has sent. While Jesus was still walking the earth, according to our beloved Abbot Gueranger; 'He never lost an opportunity of denouncing, and castigating those hypocritical scribes and pharisees who took such pains to be ever cleaning the outside of the dish, but within were full of impurities, murder, and the like. the Divine Word, Who had come down from heaven to sanctify men in Truth, that is, in Himself, had to make this His first care: to restore what time had tarnished, to restore all the original brightness to the changeless principles of justice and right, which rest in Him as in their center. No sooner had He called disciples around Him, and chosen twelve out of their number as Apostles, than He began, with all possible solemnity, His Divine work of moral restoration. (Remember St. Pope Pius X, whose motto was to 'Restore all things in Christ? He tried. ) The passage from the Sermon on the Mount, which the Church has selected for the Gospel of this 5th Sunday, follows immediately after His declaring that He had come, not to find fault with, or to destroy, the Law, but to restore it to its true meaning, of which the scribes had misread (and mislead others). He had come that He might give it all in its fullness, which the very contemporaries of Moses were too hard to take in.'

EPISTLE for this Sunday; (I Peter III. 8-15.) Dearly beloved, Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble: not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this you are called; that you may inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him decline from evil, and do good: let him seek?after peace, and, pursue it: because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their. prayers: but the countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil, things. And, who is he that can, hurt you, if you: be zealous of good? But if also you suffer any thing for, justice's sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled; but sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts.

By practicing those virtues which Peter here recommends, and which he so exactly describes; for thereby we become true disciples of Christ, honor Him and edify others, who by our good example are led to admire Christianity, and to become His followers. Moreover, we thus render ourselves more worthy of God's grace and protection, so that if for justice' sake we are persecuted by, wicked men, we need not fear, because God is for us and will reward us with eternal happiness.

Remember what I said the other day, of course copying Christ in a way, that by their fruits you shall know them. We hope and pray that one day, maybe in our lifetimes, will see beautiful fruit from the Tree of Life, Christ. This, of course, is after much pain and suffering. We are experiencing some bad fruit from our poor leaders. Our Blessed Mother said that there would be peace some day, but only after more people prayed the Rosary. I don't think it is so much about how many rosaries we pray each day, but rather how many people pray it. Last week, we heard about Peter and the disciples fishing, and when Jesus had them put out their nets again, they broke. Another time, these same caught in their full nets catch 153 fish. Think about it, that number is the same number of Aves we say in an entire Rosary. Just saying I don't think it's just a coincidence. I really don't believe in 'coincidence' anyway.

We also hope and pray that our current Holy Father, Francis, along with all the Bishops of the world, finally get around to teaching us the whole Truth which comes to us from the Apostles, with Peter as its earthy head. AND, maybe they could even get around to consecrating Russia to our Our blessed Mother and to her Immaculate Heart, in the way she requested at Fatima 97 years ago. All the Bishops of the world, on the same day, at the same time, consecrating Russia by name. This is what Our Lady requested in 1917. Or, actually, from Tuy, Spain in 1929, when she appeared to Sister Lucy. We need all the help we can get.

Pretty much says it all, doesn't it? God's version of a 'world' Cup.


I'd like to end with the Collect for this Sunday. Its what we all should ask for:

O God, Who hast prepared invisible good things for them that love Thee; pour forth into our hearts an affectionate love for Thee; that, loving Thee, in all things, and above all things, we may come to the enjoyment of Thy promises, which surpass all that we could desire.


Kyrie, Eleison