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The
highest courage is to dare to be
yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics
over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without
looking back, for THERE IS NEVER
A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007 |
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Open
Letters to the
CFC Global Family
from
Frank
Padilla
>Click
Here< |
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ANNOUNCING
THE LATEST BOOK
OF FRANK PADILLA |
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Theme
for 2008: |
| “Our
Joy in Christ” |
| Zep
3:17 |
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| "Lead
us back, O Lord, that we may be restored;
give us anew such days as we had of old." |
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Lam
5:21 |
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COME
RAIN OR COME SHINE!!! |
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| Frank
and Gerry Padilla present Frank's
book, 40 Days with Mary,
to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI,
on April 5, 2008, at the Vatican |
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COMMUNITY
ADDRESS
By: Frank Padilla
June 13, 2008
Christ the King Church, Green Meadows
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CFC-FFL
LEADERS & SOCMIN CONGRESS
StarMall Trade Hall
Edsa corner Shaw Blvd.
June 21, 2008
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27th
CFC-FFL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Marikina Sports Complex
Marikina City
June 22, 2008
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| Couples
for Christ Foundation for Family
and Life
Consecration to our Blessed Mother
Mary |
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We
kneel before you, as you yourself
sit at the throne room of God,
beside our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, your Son. You more than
anyone else embody the pure love
for our Lord Jesus that we all
desire to have, as you bore him
in your womb, gave birth to him,
raised him, suffered with him
through the cross, and finally
witnessed his resurrection. You
are the one whose soul perfectly
proclaims the greatness of the
Lord, whose spirit perfectly rejoices
in God our Savior. You are the
one we and all ages will call
blessed.
You are the highly favored one,
and the Lord is truly with you.
We thus look to you to be our
mediatrix, as we continue on our
journey in the world, proclaiming
your Son Jesus and bringing his
good news of salvation to all.
We recognize our weakness and
sinfulness, and that apart from
the power of God’s Spirit
we can do nothing.
Dear Mother Mary, you are our
inspiration for the strengthening
of families and the promotion
of the culture of life. Pray and
intercede for us always, that
we may remain faithful to our
covenant, steadfast in our work,
persevering despite trials and
crosses, and always mindful of
the call to holiness and discipleship.
You who are holy and you who are
the most faithful disciple of
our Lord Jesus Christ, keep us
in your loving embrace always.
We consecrate ourselves, our families
and our work to you. Bless us,
dear Mother, and journey with
us, as we continue to journey
with your beloved Son Jesus. You
are our mother, and we are your
children, now and forever. Amen.
Hail Mary … |
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| Couples
for Christ Foundation for Family
and Life Home Office Blessing
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 Monday
the 24th of September 2007, after
what appeared to have been a long,
long journey through the arid
desert of Lamentations, CFC-FFL
brethren finally arrived at a
much needed respite at our new
oasis. With joy in our hearts
we gathered to inaugurate the
new Home Office of Couples for
Christ Foundation for Family and
Life located at the perimeter
of Star Mall along Shaw Boulevard
in Mandaluyong City.
The
jam-packed occasion began with the
blessing of the premises by no less
than Bishop Ted Bacani. Frank Padilla,
together with his wife Gerry, led
the consecration of CFC-FFL to our
blessed Mother Mary.
Also
present was Congress-woman Cynthia
Villar. It is through the generosity
of Cynthia, and her husband Senator
Manny Villar, that CFC-FFL has this
Home Office.
The
occasion was marked with so much
faith, fellowship, fun, and of course,
food!
Our
visiting CFC brothers, Tony Correia
of India and John Vui of Vietnam,
were so impressed by the atmosphere
of love and warm fellowship in the
Holy Spirit. Tony declared, "It
was a moment of grace - kairos–
God is at work amongst his children."
It
was the CFC that we once knew, reborn
and restored. |
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THE
GOSPEL FOR TODAY |
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Sunday
of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
August 17, 2008
Matthew 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the
region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold,
a Canaanite woman of that district came
and called out, “Have pity on
me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter
is tormented by a demon.” But
Jesus did not say a word in answer to
her. Jesus’ disciples came and
asked him, “Send her away, for
she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply, “I was sent
only to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel.” But the woman came
and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord,
help me.” He said in reply, “It
is not right to take the food of the
children and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even
the dogs eat the scraps that fall from
the table of their masters.” Then
Jesus said to her in reply, “O
woman, great is your faith! Let it be
done for you as you wish.” And
the woman’s daughter was healed
from that hour.
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Monday
of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
August 18, 2008
Matthew 19:16-22
A
young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do
to gain eternal life?” He answered
him, “Why do you ask me about
the good? There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep
the commandments.” He asked him,
“Which ones?” And Jesus
replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery; you shall
not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; honor your father and your
mother; and you shall love your neighbor
as yourself.” The young man said
to him, “All of these I have observed.
What do I still lack?” Jesus said
to him, “If you wish to be perfect,
go, sell what you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement,
he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
St.
Ezechiel Moreno, bishop
St. John Eudes, priest
Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary
Time
August 19, 2008
Matthew 19:23-30
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Amen,
I say to you, it will be hard for one
who is rich to enter the Kingdom of
heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier
for a camel to pass through the eye
of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the
Kingdom of God.” When the disciples
heard this, they were greatly astonished
and said, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “For
men this is impossible, but for God
all things are possible.” Then
Peter said to him in reply,
“We
have given up everything and followed
you. What will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say
to you that you who have followed me,
in the new age, when the Son of Man
is seated on his throne of glory, will
yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone
who has given up houses or brothers
or sisters or father or mother or children
or lands for the sake of my name will
receive a hundred times more, and will
inherit eternal life. But many who are
first will be last, and the last will
be first.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial
of Saint Bernard, abbot and doctor of
the Church
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary
Time
August 20, 2008
Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus
told his disciples this parable: “The
Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers
for his vineyard. After agreeing with
them for the usual daily wage, he sent
them into his vineyard. Going out about
nine o’clock, he saw others standing
idle in the marketplace, and he said
to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So
they went off. And he went out again
around noon, and around three o’clock,
and did likewise. Going out about five
o’clock, he found others standing
around, and said to them, ‘Why
do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one
has hired us.’ He said to them,
‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the
vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon
the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with
the first.’ When those who had
started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought
that they would receive more, but each
of them also got the usual wage. And
on receiving it they grumbled against
the landowner, saying, ‘These
last ones worked only one hour, and
you have made them equal to us, who
bore the day’s burden and the
heat.’ He said to one of them
in reply, ‘My friend, I am not
cheating you. Did you not agree with
me for the usual daily wage? Take what
is yours and go. What if I wish to give
this last one the same as you? Or am
I not free to do as I wish with my own
money? Are you envious because I am
generous?’ Thus, the last will
be first, and the first will be last.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial of Saint Pius X,
pope
Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary
Time
August 21, 2008
Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus
again in reply spoke to the chief priests
and the elders of the people in parables
saying, “The Kingdom of heaven
may be likened to a king who gave a
wedding feast for his son. He dispatched
his servants to summon the invited guests
to the feast, but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants,
saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold,
I have prepared my banquet, my calves
and fattened cattle are killed, and
everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went
away, one to his farm, another to his
business. The rest laid hold of his
servants, mistreated them, and killed
them. The king was enraged and sent
his troops, destroyed those murderers,
and burned their city. Then the king
said to his servants, ‘The feast
is ready, but those who were invited
were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore,
into the main roads and invite to the
feast whomever you find.’ The
servants went out into the streets and
gathered all they found, bad and good
alike, and the hall was filled with
guests. But when the king came in to
meet the guests he saw a man there not
dressed in a wedding garment. He said
to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding
garment?’ But he was reduced to
silence. Then the king said to his attendants,
‘Bind his hands and feet, and
cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding
of teeth.’ Many are invited, but
few are chosen.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial
of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
Friday
of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
August 22, 2008
Matthew 22:34-40
When
the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced
the Sadducees, they gathered together,
and one of them, a scholar of the law,
tested him by asking, “Teacher,
which commandment in the law is the
greatest?” He said to him, “You
shall love the Lord, your God, with
all your heart, with all your soul,
and with all your mind. This is the
greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it: You shall love
your neighbor as yourself. The whole
law and the prophets depend on these
two commandments.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
St. Rose of Lima, virgin
Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary
Time
August 23, 2008
Matthew 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his
disciples, saying, “The scribes
and the Pharisees have taken their seat
on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do
and observe all things whatsoever they
tell you, but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move
them. All their works are performed
to be seen. They widen their phylacteries
and lengthen their tassels. They love
places of honor at banquets, seats of
honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces,
and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are
all brothers. Call no one on earth your
father; you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your
servant. Whoever exalts himself will
be humbled; but whoever humbles himself
will be exalted.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary
Time
August 24, 2008
Matthew 16:13-20
Jesus
went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
and he asked his disciples, “Who
do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the
Baptist, others Elijah, still others
Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you
say that I am?” Simon Peter said
in reply, “You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God.” Jesus
said to him in reply, “Blessed
are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh
and blood has not revealed this to you,
but my heavenly Father. And so I say
to you, you are Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church, and the
gates of the netherworld shall not prevail
against it. I will give you the keys
to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven.” Then he
strictly ordered his disciples to tell
no one that he was the Christ.
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
St. Louis
St. Joseph Calasanz, priest
Monday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary
Time
August 25, 2008
Matthew 23:13-22
Jesus
said to the crowds and to his disciples:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom
of heaven before men. You do not enter
yourselves, nor do you allow entrance
to those trying to enter.
“Woe
to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one
convert, and when that happens you make
him a child of Gehenna twice as much
as yourselves.
“Woe
to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If
one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the
temple, one is obligated.’ Blind
fools, which is greater, the gold, or
the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, ‘If one swears by
the altar, it means nothing, but if
one swears by the gift on the altar,
one is obligated.’ You blind ones,
which is greater, the gift, or the altar
that makes the gift sacred? One who
swears by the altar swears by it and
all that is upon it; one who swears
by the temple swears by it and by him
who dwells in it; one who swears by
heaven swears by the throne of God and
by him who is seated on it.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Tuesday of the Twenty-First Week in
Ordinary Time
August 26, 2008
Matthew 23:23-26
Jesus
said: “Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes
of mint and dill and cummin, and have
neglected the weightier things of the
law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without
neglecting the others. Blind guides,
who strain out the gnat and swallow
the camel!
“Woe
to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder
and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee,
cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial of Saint Monica
Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in
Ordinary Time
August 27, 2008
Matthew 23:27-32
Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are
like whitewashed tombs, which appear
beautiful on the outside, but inside
are full of dead men’s bones and
every kind of filth. Even so, on the
outside you appear righteous, but inside
you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
“Woe
to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, ‘If we had lived
in the days of our ancestors, we would
not have joined them in shedding the
prophets’ blood.’ Thus you
bear witness against yourselves that
you are the children of those who murdered
the prophets; now fill up what your
ancestors measured out!”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial of Saint Augustine,
bishop and doctor of the Church
Thursday of the Twenty-First Week in
Ordinary Time
August 28, 2008
Matthew 24:42-51
Jesus
said to his disciples: “Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your
Lord will come. Be sure of this: if
the master of the house had known the
hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake and not let
his house be broken into. So too, you
also must be prepared, for at an hour
you do not expect, the Son oJesus said
to his disciples: “Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your
Lord will come. Be sure of this: if
the master of the house had known the
hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake and not let
his house be broken into. So too, you
also must be prepared, for at an hour
you do not expect, the Son of Man will
come.
“Who,
then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of
his household to distribute to them
their food at the proper time? Blessed
is that servant whom his master on his
arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say
to you, he will put him in charge of
all his property. But if that wicked
servant says to himself, ‘My master
is long delayed,’ and begins to
beat his fellow servants, and eat and
drink with drunkards, the servant’s
master will come on an unexpected day
and at an unknown hour and will punish
him severely and assign him a place
with the hypocrites, where there will
be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
Bible
passages courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial of the Martyrdom
of Saint John the Baptist
Friday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary
Time
August 29, 2008
Mark 6:17-29
Herod
was the one who had John the Baptist
arrested and bound in prison on account
of Herodias, the wife of his brother
Philip, whom he had married. John had
said to Herod, “It is not lawful
for you to have your brother’s
wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge
against him and wanted to kill him but
was unable to do so. Herod feared John,
knowing him to be a righteous and holy
man, and kept him in custody. When he
heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him. She had
an opportunity one day when Herod, on
his birthday, gave a banquet for his
courtiers, his military officers, and
the leading men of Galilee. Herodias’
own daughter came in and performed a
dance that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask
of me whatever you wish and I will grant
it to you.” He even swore many
things to her, “I will grant you
whatever you ask of me, even to half
of my kingdom.” She went out and
said to her mother, “What shall
I ask for?” She replied, “The
head of John the Baptist.” The
girl hurried back to the king’s
presence and made her request, “I
want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to
her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner
with orders to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the
prison. He brought in the head on a
platter and gave it to the girl. The
girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it, they
came and took his body and laid it in
a tomb.
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Saturday of the Twnety-First Week in
Ordinary Time
August 30, 2008
Matthew 25:14-30
Jesus
told his disciples this parable: “A
man going on a journey called in his
servants and entrusted his possessions
to them. To one he gave five talents;
to another, two; to a third, one–
to each according to his ability. Then
he went away. Immediately the one who
received five talents went and traded
with them, and made another five. Likewise,
the one who received two made another
two. But the man who received one went
off and dug a hole in the ground and
buried his master’s money. After
a long time the master of those servants
came back and settled accounts with
them. The one who had received five
talents came forward bringing the additional
five. He said, ‘Master, you gave
me five talents. See, I have made five
more.’ His master said to him,
‘Well done, my good and faithful
servant. Since you were faithful in
small matters, I will give you great
responsibilities. Come, share your master’s
joy.’ Then the one who had received
two talents also came forward and said,
‘Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.’ His
master said to him, ‘Well done,
my good and faithful servant. Since
you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.’
Then the one who had received the one
talent came forward and said, ‘Master,
I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant and
gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried
your talent in the ground. Here it is
back.’ His master said to him
in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did
not plant and gather where I did not
scatter? Should you not then have put
my money in the bank so that I could
have got it back with interest on my
return? Now then! Take the talent from
him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has, more will be
given and he will grow rich; but from
the one who has not, even what he has
will be taken away. And throw this useless
servant into the darkness outside, where
there will be wailing and grinding of
teeth.’”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Sunday of the Twenty-Second Week in
Ordinary Time
August 31, 2008
Matthew 16:21-27
Jesus began to show his disciples that
he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests,
and the scribes, and be killed and on
the third day be raised. Then Peter
took Jesus aside and began to rebuke
him, “God forbid, Lord! No such
thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter, “Get
behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle
to me. You are thinking not as God does,
but as human beings do.”
Then
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever
wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me. For
whoever wishes to save his life will
lose it, but whoever loses his life
for my sake will find it. What profit
would there be for one to gain the whole
world and forfeit his life? Or what
can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his
angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according
to his conduct.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Monday of the Twenty-Second Week in
Ordinary Time
September 01, 2008
Luke 4:16-30
Jesus
came to Nazareth, where he had grown
up, and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a
scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled
the scroll and found the passage where
it was written:
The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he has anointed me to bring glad tidings
to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim
liberty to captives and recovery of
sight to the blind, to let the oppressed
go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable
to the Lord.
Rolling
up the scroll, he handed it back to
the attendant and sat down, and the
eyes of all in the synagogue looked
intently at him. He said to them, “Today
this Scripture passage is fulfilled
in your hearing.” And all spoke
highly of him and were amazed at the
gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, “Is this not
the son of Joseph?” He said to
them, “Surely you will quote me
this proverb, ‘Physician, cure
yourself,’ and say, ‘Do
here in your native place the things
that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”
And he said, “Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native
place. Indeed, I tell you, there were
many widows in Israel in the days of
Elijah when the sky was closed for three
and a half years and a severe famine
spread over the entire land. It was
to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in
the land of Sidon. Again, there were
many lepers in Israel during the time
of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of
them was cleansed, but only Naaman the
Syrian.” When the people in the
synagogue heard this, they were all
filled with fury. They rose up, drove
him out of the town, and led him to
the brow of the hill on which their
town had been built, to hurl him down
headlong. But he passed through the
midst of them and went away.
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in
Ordinary Time
September 02, 2008
Luke 4:31-37
Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town
of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority. In
the synagogue there was a man with the
spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried
out in a loud voice, “What have
you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us? I know
who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be
quiet! Come out of him!” Then
the demon threw the man down in front
of them and came out of him without
doing him any harm. They were all amazed
and said to one another, “What
is there about his word? For with authority
and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out.” And news of
him spread everywhere in the surrounding
region.
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
St. Pontian, pope and St.
Hypolytus, priest, martyrs
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week of
Ordinary Time
August 13, 2008
Matthew 18:15-20
Jesus
said to his disciples: “If your
brother sins against you, go and tell
him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over
your brother. If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell
the Church. If he refuses to listen
even to the Church, then treat him as
you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say
to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to
pray, it shall be granted to them by
my heavenly Father. For where two or
three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”
Bible
passage courtesy of New American Bible
Memorial
of Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, priest
and martyr
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary
Time
August 14, 2008
Matthew 18:21–19:1
Peter
approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord,
if my brother sins against me, how often
must I forgive him? As many as seven
times?” Jesus answered, “I
say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven
times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven
may be likened to a king who decided
to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting, a debtor
was brought before him who owed him
a huge amount. Since he had no way of
paying it back, his master ordered him
to be sold, along with his wife, his
children, and all his property, in payment
of the debt. At that, the servant fell
down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be
patient with me, and I will pay you
back in full.’ Moved with compassion
the master of that servant let him go
and forgave him the loan.
When
that servant had left, he found one
of his fellow servants who owed him
a much smaller amount. He seized him
and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant
begged him, ‘Be patient with me,
and I will pay you back.’ But
he refused. Instead, he had the fellow
servant put in prison until he paid
back the debt. Now when his fellow servants
saw what had happened, they were deeply
disturbed, and went to their master
and reported the whole affair. His master
summoned him and said to him, ‘You
wicked servant! I forgave you your entire
debt because you begged me to. Should
you not have had pity on your fellow
servant, as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him
over to the torturers until he should
pay back the whole debt. So will my
heavenly Father do to you, unless each
of you forgives his brother from his
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