Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

The BreadCast


Daily Exposition of the Readings for Catholic Mass...

as well as Prayers to the Saints on the General Roman Calendar (for the U.S.).  

From the books Our Daily Bread and Prayers to the Saints by James H. Kurt - both with imprimatur.

Jun 27, 2022

(Amos 3:1-8,4:11-12;   Ps.5:4-9;   Mt.8:23-27)

“The lion roars – who will not be afraid!

The Lord God speaks – who will not prophesy!”

Yes, the Lord prophesies against Israel today like a lion rending and roaring: “You alone have I favored, more than all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your crimes.”  He brings upon His chosen “such upheaval as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah: [they are] like a brand plucked from the fire.”  In no uncertain terms does He cry out through Amos – “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”

A frightening prospect indeed it is which is presented to us in our readings.  Here is the Lord God coming to take vengeance on His people.  This is He before whom “no evil man remains,” who “destroy[s] all who speak falsehood.”  And against His own who turn from Him, He reserves greater punishment.

How shall we react, we who are now become His chosen children?  What should we do before such an awesome prospect as the Lord’s hand coming with power?  With David we should “bring [our] plea expectantly before [Him]”; with the disciples we should make “our way toward Him” and call out: “Lord, save us!  We are lost!”  And if we have the faith and humility of the Lord’s king, who declares, “I, because of your abundant kindness, will enter your house; I will worship at your holy temple in fear of you, O Lord,” then with his same confidence we may believe that the Lord will wake and take “the winds and the sea to task” – that what besets us because of our sin and separation from Him will be appeased by the same voice which threatens our destruction thereby.  For indeed the Lord is abundantly kind and speaks to us as His own, and chastises us as His own.  He raises His voice that we might return to Him; He places us in the fire that we might be purged.  Let us find our strength in a holy fear.

    And let us join His voice.  Let us call out with Him to His blessed children, that all might return to Him who is their maker and protector – that all might be rescued from harm.  The Lord would not see us caught in the snare laid for the wicked, and so He has sent His only Son to appease the wrath He has justly spoken forth.  Let the lion’s mouth not close upon our heads, but may we be awakened by its voice and open our own mouths to declare the mercy of our God.

*******

O LORD, the wind and the sea obey your Son,

but we harden our hearts against Him –

O let us heed His voice!

YHWH, even wind and sea obey you, and so we call upon your NAME to be saved from their clutches.  Let not our sins overwhelm us, but bring us the grace of your salvation.

LORD, we deserve your just punishment, for we have stubbornly turned our hearts from you.  Though you have been kind in watching over and protecting us from harm, we have not recognized your goodness toward us and praised your NAME;  instead, we have turned to other gods and walked in the wickedness of our hearts.  And so, what can you do but cry out against us; and so, what can we be but destroyed if we do not heed your voice?

Give us courage, LORD, for our strength fails us.  All we can see is the turmoil our weakness brings upon us.  Help us to see beyond the troubles the world presents, troubles we have brought upon ourselves, that we might see you and your power at work, and place all our faith therein.  O let us listen to your prophets as they cry out and so walk your way in peace and light, despite the surrounding darkness.