Funny: Happy Palm Sunday Meme

 Happy Palm Sunday!

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Sunday, March 28, 2021: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Sunday, March 28, 2021: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Lectionary: 37 and 38

At the Procession with Palms - Gospel

Mk 11:1-10

When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem,

to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, 

he sent two of his disciples and said to them, 

“Go into the village opposite you,

and immediately on entering it, 

you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.

Untie it and bring it here.

If anyone should say to you,

‘Why are you doing this?’ reply,

‘The Master has need of it

and will send it back here at once.’”

So they went off 

and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, 

and they untied it.

Some of the bystanders said to them, 

“What are you doing, untying the colt?”

They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, 

and they permitted them to do it.

So they brought the colt to Jesus

and put their cloaks over it.

And he sat on it.

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, 

and others spread leafy branches 

that they had cut from the fields.

Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out:

    “Hosanna!

        Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

        Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!

    Hosanna in the highest!”

OR:

Jn 12:12-16

When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard 

that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 

they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out:

    “Hosanna!

    “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,

        the king of Israel.”

Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:

    Fear no more, O daughter Zion;

    see, your king comes, seated upon an ass’s colt.

His disciples did not understand this at first, 

but when Jesus had been glorified 

they remembered that these things were written about him 

and that they had done this for him. 

At the Mass - Reading I

Is 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me

    a well-trained tongue,

that I might know how to speak to the weary

    a word that will rouse them.

Morning after morning

    he opens my ear that I may hear;

and I have not rebelled,

    have not turned back.

I gave my back to those who beat me,

    my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;

my face I did not shield

    from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,

    therefore I am not disgraced;

I have set my face like flint,

    knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Responsorial Psalm

22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

R. (2a)  My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

All who see me scoff at me;

    they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:

“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,

    let him rescue him, if he loves him.”

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Indeed, many dogs surround me,

    a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;

They have pierced my hands and my feet;

    I can count all my bones.

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

They divide my garments among them,

    and for my vesture they cast lots.

But you, O LORD, be not far from me;

    O my help, hasten to aid me.

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

I will proclaim your name to my brethren;

    in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:

“You who fear the LORD, praise him;

    all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;

    revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”

R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

 

Reading II

Phil 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,

    did not regard equality with God

    something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself,

    taking the form of a slave,

    coming in human likeness;

    and found human in appearance,

    he humbled himself,

    becoming obedient to the point of death,

    even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

    and bestowed on him the name

    which is above every name,

    that at the name of Jesus

    every knee should bend,

    of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,    

    and every tongue confess that

    Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.

Verse before the Gospel

Phil 2:8-9

Christ became obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him

and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

Gospel

Mk 14:1—15:47

The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread 

were to take place in two days’ time.

So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way 

to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.

They said, “Not during the festival, 

for fear that there may be a riot among the people.”

When he was in Bethany reclining at table 

in the house of Simon the leper, 

a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil,

costly genuine spikenard.

She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.

There were some who were indignant.

“Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?

It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages 

and the money given to the poor.”

They were infuriated with her.

Jesus said, “Let her alone.

Why do you make trouble for her?

She has done a good thing for me.

The poor you will always have with you, 

and whenever you wish you can do good to them, 

but you will not always have me.

She has done what she could.

She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.

Amen, I say to you,

wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world,

what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, 

went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.

When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money.

Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, 

when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, 

his disciples said to him,

“Where do you want us to go

and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

He sent two of his disciples and said to them, 

“Go into the city and a man will meet you,

carrying a jar of water.

Follow him.

Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,

‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room

where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’

Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.

Make the preparations for us there.”

The disciples then went off, entered the city, 

and found it just as he had told them; 

and they prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. 

And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said,

“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, 

one who is eating with me.”

They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one,

“Surely it is not I?”

He said to them,

“One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.

For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,

but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.

It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

While they were eating,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them, and said, 

“Take it; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, 

and they all drank from it.

He said to them,

“This is my blood of the covenant,

which will be shed for many.

Amen, I say to you,

I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine 

until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Then, after singing a hymn,

they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them, 

“All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:

    I will strike the shepherd,

        and the sheep will be dispersed.

But after I have been raised up,

I shall go before you to Galilee.”

Peter said to him, 

“Even though all should have their faith shaken,

mine will not be.”

Then Jesus said to him,

"Amen, I say to you, 

this very night before the cock crows twice

you will deny me three times.”

But he vehemently replied, 

“Even though I should have to die with you,

I will not deny you.”

And they all spoke similarly.

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,

and he said to his disciples,

“Sit here while I pray.”

He took with him Peter, James, and John, 

and began to be troubled and distressed.

Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death.

Remain here and keep watch.”

He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed

that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; 

he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you.

Take this cup away from me,

but not what I will but what you will.”

When he returned he found them asleep.

He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep?

Could you not keep watch for one hour?

Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.

Then he returned once more and found them asleep, 

for they could not keep their eyes open 

and did not know what to answer him.

He returned a third time and said to them, 

“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?

It is enough.  The hour has come.

Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.

Get up, let us go.

See, my betrayer is at hand.”

Then, while he was still speaking,

Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, 

accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs 

who had come from the chief priests,

the scribes, and the elders.

His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, 

“The man I shall kiss is the one; 

arrest him and lead him away securely.”

He came and immediately went over to him and said,

“Rabbi.”  And he kissed him.

At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

One of the bystanders drew his sword,

struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.

Jesus said to them in reply,

“Have you come out as against a robber, 

with swords and clubs, to seize me?

Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, 

yet you did not arrest me; 

but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”

And they all left him and fled.

Now a young man followed him

wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body.

They seized him,

but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.

They led Jesus away to the high priest,

and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.

Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard 

and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.

The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin

kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus 

in order to put him to death, but they found none.

Many gave false witness against him,

but their testimony did not agree.

Some took the stand and testified falsely against him,

 alleging, “We heard him say,

‘I will destroy this temple made with hands

and within three days I will build another

not made with hands.’”

Even so their testimony did not agree.

The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus,

saying, “Have you no answer?

What are these men testifying against you?”

But he was silent and answered nothing.

Again the high priest asked him and said to him, 

“Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?”

Then Jesus answered, “I am;

and ‘you will see the Son of Man

seated at the right hand of the Power

and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”

At that the high priest tore his garments and said,

“What further need have we of witnesses?

You have heard the blasphemy.

What do you think?”

They all condemned him as deserving to die.

Some began to spit on him.

They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, “Prophesy!”

And the guards greeted him with blows.

While Peter was below in the courtyard,

one of the high priest’s maids came along.

Seeing Peter warming himself,

she looked intently at him and said,

“You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”

But he denied it saying,

“I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.”

So he went out into the outer court.

Then the cock crowed.

The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders,

“This man is one of them.”

Once again he denied it.

A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more,

“Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”

He began to curse and to swear, 

“I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”

And immediately a cock crowed a second time.

Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him,

“Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”

He broke down and wept.

As soon as morning came, 

the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, 

that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.

They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

Pilate questioned him,

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

He said to him in reply, “You say so.”

The chief priests accused him of many things.

Again Pilate questioned him,

“Have you no answer?

See how many things they accuse you of.”

Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them

one prisoner whom they requested.

A man called Barabbas was then in prison 

along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.

The crowd came forward and began to ask him

to do for them as he was accustomed.

Pilate answered, 

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

For he knew that it was out of envy 

that the chief priests had handed him over.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd 

to have him release Barabbas for them instead.

Pilate again said to them in reply,

“Then what do you want me to do 

with the man you call the king of the Jews?”

They shouted again, “Crucify him.”

Pilate said to them, “Why?  What evil has he done?”

They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,

released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,

handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace, 

that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.

They clothed him in purple and, 

weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.

They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!” 

and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.

They knelt before him in homage.

And when they had mocked him,

they stripped him of the purple cloak,

dressed him in his own clothes,

and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,

a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,

the father of Alexander and Rufus,

to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha

— which is translated Place of the Skull —,

They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,

but he did not take it.

Then they crucified him and divided his garments 

by casting lots for them to see what each should take.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.

The inscription of the charge against him read,

“The King of the Jews.”

With him they crucified two revolutionaries, 

one on his right and one on his left.

Those passing by reviled him,

shaking their heads and saying,

“Aha!  You who would destroy the temple

and rebuild it in three days,

save yourself by coming down from the cross.”

Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, 

mocked him among themselves and said, 

“He saved others; he cannot save himself.

Let the Christ, the King of Israel,

come down now from the cross

that we may see and believe.”

Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land

until three in the afternoon.

And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”

which is translated,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Some of the bystanders who heard it said, 

“Look, he is calling Elijah.”

One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed 

and gave it to him to drink saying, 

“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

        Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the centurion who stood facing him

saw how he  breathed his last he said, 

“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

There were also women looking on from a distance.

Among them were Mary Magdalene, 

Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.

These women had followed him when he was in Galilee

and ministered to him.

There were also many other women

who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

When it was already evening,

since it was the day of preparation,

the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea,

a distinguished member of the council,

who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God,

came and courageously went to Pilate

and asked for the body of Jesus.

Pilate was amazed that he was already dead.

He summoned the centurion

and asked him if Jesus had already died.

And when he learned of it from the centurion, 

he gave the body to Joseph.

Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down,

wrapped him in the linen cloth,

and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.

Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses

watched where he was laid.

OR:

Mk 15:1-39

As soon as morning came, 

the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, 

that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.

They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

Pilate questioned him,

“Are you the king of the Jews?”

He said to him in reply, “You say so.”

The chief priests accused him of many things.

Again Pilate questioned him,

“Have you no answer?

See how many things they accuse you of.”

Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them

one prisoner whom they requested.

A man called Barabbas was then in prison 

along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.

The crowd came forward and began to ask him

to do for them as he was accustomed.

Pilate answered, 

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”

For he knew that it was out of envy 

that the chief priests had handed him over.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd 

to have him release Barabbas for them instead.

Pilate again said to them in reply,

“Then what do you want me to do 

with the man you call the king of the Jews?”

They shouted again, “Crucify him.”

Pilate said to them, “Why?  What evil has he done?”

They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”

So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,

released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,

handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace, 

that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.

They clothed him in purple and, 

weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.

They began to salute him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 

and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.

They knelt before him in homage.

And when they had mocked him,

they stripped him of the purple cloak,

dressed him in his own clothes,

and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,

a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,

the father of Alexander and Rufus,

to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha

—which is translated Place of the Skull —

They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,

but he did not take it.

Then they crucified him and divided his garments 

by casting lots for them to see what each should take.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.

The inscription of the charge against him read,

“The King of the Jews.”

With him they crucified two revolutionaries, 

one on his right and one on his left.

Those passing by reviled him,

shaking their heads and saying,

“Aha!  You who would destroy the temple

and rebuild it in three days,

save yourself by coming down from the cross.”

Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, 

mocked him among themselves and said, 

“He saved others; he cannot save himself.

Let the Christ, the King of Israel,

come down now from the cross

that we may see and believe.”

Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land

until three in the afternoon.

And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”

which is translated,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Some of the bystanders who heard it said, 

“Look, he is calling Elijah.”

One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed 

and gave it to him to drink saying, 

“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

        Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the centurion who stood facing him

saw how he breathed his last he said, 

“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Saturday, March 27, 2021: Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Saturday, March 27, 2021: Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Lectionary: 256

Reading I

Ez 37:21-28

Thus says the Lord GOD:

I will take the children of Israel from among the nations

    to which they have come,

    and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.

I will make them one nation upon the land,

    in the mountains of Israel,

    and there shall be one prince for them all. 

Never again shall they be two nations,

    and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,

    their abominations, and all their transgressions. 

I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,

    and cleanse them so that they may be my people

    and I may be their God.

My servant David shall be prince over them,

    and there shall be one shepherd for them all;

    they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.

They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,

    the land where their fathers lived;

    they shall live on it forever,

    they, and their children, and their children’s children,

    with my servant David their prince forever.

I will make with them a covenant of peace;

    it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,

    and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.

My dwelling shall be with them;

    I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,

    who make Israel holy,

    when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

Responsorial Psalm

Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13

R.    (see 10d)  The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,

    proclaim it on distant isles, and say:

He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,

    he guards them as a shepherd his flock.

R.    The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

The LORD shall ransom Jacob,

    he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.

Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,

    they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings:

The grain, the wine, and the oil,

    the sheep and the oxen.

R.    The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,

    and young men and old as well.

I will turn their mourning into joy,

    I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.

R.    The Lord will guard us, as a shepherd guards his flock.

Verse before the Gospel

Ez 18:31

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD,

and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.

Gospel

Jn 11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary

and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.

But some of them went to the Pharisees

and told them what Jesus had done. 

So the chief priests and the Pharisees

convened the Sanhedrin and said,

“What are we going to do? 

This man is performing many signs.

If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,

and the Romans will come

and take away both our land and our nation.”

But one of them, Caiaphas,

who was high priest that year, said to them,

“You know nothing,

nor do you consider that it is better for you

that one man should die instead of the people,

so that the whole nation may not perish.”

He did not say this on his own,

but since he was high priest for that year,

he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

and not only for the nation,

but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,

but he left for the region near the desert,

to a town called Ephraim,

and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,

and many went up from the country to Jerusalem

before Passover to purify themselves.

They looked for Jesus and said to one another

as they were in the temple area, “What do you think?

That he will not come to the feast?”

Funny: When you need an Exorcist...

Funny: When you need an Exorcist...

 

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Friday, March 26, 2021: Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Friday, March 26, 2021: Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

Lectionary: 255

Reading I

Jer 20:10-13

I hear the whisperings of many:

    “Terror on every side!

    Denounce! let us denounce him!”

All those who were my friends

    are on the watch for any misstep of mine.

“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,

    and take our vengeance on him.”

But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:

    my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.

In their failure they will be put to utter shame,

    to lasting, unforgettable confusion.

O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,

    who probe mind and heart,

Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,

    for to you I have entrusted my cause.

Sing to the LORD,

    praise the LORD,

For he has rescued the life of the poor

    from the power of the wicked!

Responsorial Psalm

18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7

R.    (see 7)  In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

I love you, O LORD, my strength,

    O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.

R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

My God, my rock of refuge,

    my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!

Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,

    and I am safe from my enemies.

R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

The breakers of death surged round about me,

    the destroying floods overwhelmed me;

The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,

    the snares of death overtook me.

R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

In my distress I called upon the LORD

    and cried out to my God;

From his temple he heard my voice,

    and my cry to him reached his ears. 

R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

Verse before the Gospel

See Jn 6:63c, 68c

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;

you have the words of everlasting life.

Gospel

Jn 10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.

Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.

For which of these are you trying to stone me?”

The Jews answered him,

“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.

You, a man, are making yourself God.”

Jesus answered them,

“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘? 

If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,

and Scripture cannot be set aside,

can you say that the one

whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world

blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 

If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;

but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,

believe the works, so that you may realize and understand

that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

Then they tried again to arrest him;

but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan

to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. 

Many came to him and said,

“John performed no sign,

but everything John said about this man was true.”

And many there began to believe in him.

Happy Feast of the Annunciation - March 25, 2021

Feast of the Annunciation pic.twitter.com/xR0QcRavLo

— Church Militant (Text 'CATHOLIC' to 877-690-1105) (@Church_Militant) March 25, 2021

Funny (but true): Walmart vs. Church During Covid

Funny: Double Standards: Church vs. Walmart (and other stores)

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Thursday, March 25, 2021: Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Catholic Church Mass Readings for Thursday, March 25, 2021: Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Lectionary: 545

Reading I

Is 7:10-14; 8:10

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:

Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;

let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!

But Ahaz answered,

“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”

Then Isaiah said: 

Listen, O house of David!

Is it not enough for you to weary people,

must you also weary my God?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:

the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,

and shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us!”  

Responsorial Psalm

40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 11

R.    (8a and 9a)  Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,

    but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;

    then said I, “Behold I come.”

R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

“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.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

    I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know.

R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Your justice I kept not hid within my heart;

    your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of;

I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth

    in the vast assembly.

R.    Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading II

Heb 10:4-10

Brothers and sisters:

It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats 

take away sins.

For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:

    “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

        but a body you prepared for me;

    in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.

    Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,

    behold, I come to do your will, O God.’”

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,

holocausts and sin offerings,

you neither desired nor delighted in.”

These are offered according to the law.

Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”

He takes away the first to establish the second.

By this “will,” we have been consecrated

through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Verse Before the Gospel

Jn 1:14ab

The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us;

and we saw his glory.

Gospel

Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

Did Pope Francis Causes More Confusion Regarding Mary as Co-Redemptrix?

Pope Francis has once again created controversy and possible division with Catholics today with his off-the-cuff remarks regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary.

When seeking information on this subject, I found out that the pope has several times negatively commented on Mary's titled of Co-Redemptrix. There is an article from December 2019 from Crux, a Catholic publication, titled "Pope calls idea of declaring Mary co-redemptrix ‘foolishness’"

That was over a year ago. Now Pope Francis has made another comment on the subject saying: "Jesus entrusted the entire Church and all the faithful to Mary, but “as a mother. Not as a goddess. Not as a co-redemptrix. As a mother.” (Source: Crux Now)

So, what are we to make of all of this? In doing my research I found that Pope John Paul II spoke favorably of the title "Co-redemptrix", as did some other previous popes. However, Pope Benedict XVI cautioned against its use saying:

"...the formula “Co-redemptrix” departs to too great an extent from the language of Scripture and of the Fathers and therefore gives rise to misunderstandings. ...Everything comes from Him [Christ], as the Letter to the Ephesians and the Letter to the Colossians, in particular, tell us; Mary, too, is everything she is through Him. The word “Co-redemptrix” would obscure this origin. A correct intention being expressed in the wrong way." (Source: Wikipedia)

Interesting. I get where the nay-sayers are coming from. To many, the term co-redemptrix sounds like Mary and Jesus are equally responsible for our salvation, like they are working together. This is absolutely not Catholic teaching. Catholic theology states that we are saved through Jesus Christ alone, 100%. As Taylor Marshall pointed out today, even saying Jesus did 99.9% and Mary did 0.1% would be heretical.

So what does co-redemptrix mean? In my own terms, it means that Mary participated in a unique way to bring about salvation. In order for Jesus Christ to come into the world, we needed Mary's "yes" or "fiat". She maintained free will and God had specially selected Mary to be the Mother of God. It wasn't as if God would just go from one young woman to another until one said yes. Mary played a pivotal role in Jesus's life, and she is the closest person to Him in heaven. She is the Queen of Heaven.

To be fair to Pope Francis, I think what he is doing is trying to be very clear. I can see this whole issue being a sticking point with non-Catholic Christians and frankly some Catholics as well. Upon first hearing the term "co-redemptrix", it's natural to think of words such as "co-founder" or "co-operation" and see some kind of equality between the parties. So I can see the confusion.

However, I think the pope could do a better job of explaining what the term actually means when traditional and observant Catholics use it. The pope instead made it seem like they were just plain wrong. This is not the right way to treat faithful believers who perhaps use that term. He makes it seem like people who use "co-redemptrix" think that Mary is some kind of divine co-equal goddess, which would the heights of heresy.

I don't like how many of Pope Francis's comments seem to throw traditional Catholics under the bus. As if to say they can defend themselves. It always, to me, comes across as though Pope Francis wants to be liked by everyone except traditionalists.

Dr. Taylor Marshall has a pretty thorough treatment of this subject today. Worth checking out: