Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop
Plea for Unity and Humility
Click here for today's readings on the USCCB website.
Reading: Philippians 2:1-4
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 131: 1bcde, 2, 3
Alleluia: John 8:31b-32
Gospel: Luke 14:12-14
Today’s readings audio:
Plea for Unity and Humility (Philippians 2:1-4)
In today’s short first reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians, he is asking for unity and humility in the church.
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.
3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
4 each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others.Philippians 2:1-4
The words that St. Paul spoke then still apply to the Church today. There is too much division and too much with people looking out only for themselves. There are divisions between the Eastern and Western Rite Catholics and between those that value the Traditional Latin Mass and those that value the Novus Ordo Mass. And there are many other divisions within the Church.
But we are not meant to be a divided Church. We are meant to be a united one with all of us living our lives conformed to Jesus Christ. We are called to help out our neighbors and as in yesterday’s gospel reading, “love our neighbors as ourselves.” We have long forgotten how to have civilized discussions, both inside and outside of the Church but we need to start remembering.
Let us today, begin to look at each other, not as opponents, but as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us love our neighbors. Let us conform ourselves to be like Jesus Christ.
Conduct of Invited Guests and Hosts. (Luke 14:12-14)
In today’s Gospel reading by St. Luke, Jesus tells the host of the meal that he was at, not to invite friends or brothers or relatives but the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
12 Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
13 Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
14 blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”Luke 14:12-14
He says this because too often people are caught up in their pride. When people sit down at a table, they look to have the pride of place, generally next to the host. But we need to look outwards and let our pride go. We need to help the poor and needy, we need to help the crippled and lame and the blind. We need to do this without ever expecting anything in return.
When you go somewhere do you try to make yourself the center of attention? Do you try to sit next to the host? If you lend to a friend, do you expect payment in return?
Prayer for Unity / Oratio unionis cum Domino (by Elizabeth Kindelmann)
My adorable Jesus,
May our feet journey together,
May our hands gather in unity,
May our hearts beat in unison,
May our souls be in harmony,
May our thoughts be as one,
May our ears listen to the silence together,
May our glances profoundly penetrate each other,
May our lips pray together to gain mercy from the Eternal Father. Amen
Oratio unionis cum Domino
O mi Jesu adorate!
Pedes nostri una ambulent.
Manus nostrae una colligant.
Corda nostra una palpitent.
Animi nostri una sentiant.
Cogitationes mentis nostrae concordent.
Aures nostrae una in silentium intendentes fiant.
Oculi nostri alii in alios speciant et conspectus nostri coalescant.
Labia nostra una precentur Patrem aeternum misereri nostri.
Ámen.