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.

Sep 18, 2022

(Prv.3:27-34;   Ps.15:1-5;   Lk.8:16-18)

 

“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,

but the dwelling of the just He blesses.”

 

Light fills the house of him “who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue,” for he who does these things is as light itself, having no part with darkness.  He knows that “to the Lord the perverse man is an abomination,” and so he “env[ies] not the lawless man and choose[s] none of his ways” but chooses always the way of God and so finds the “friendship” of the Lord which is with “the upright,” which is as light shining upon him and through him.

As for the wicked, “he who has not will lose even the little he thinks he has,” for the Lord is not with him; and all he has gained by “usury” and by “bribe[s] against the innocent” shall be revealed in all its emptiness on the day the Lord shines His encompassing light – he will indeed be left with nothing, for nothing he truly has.  He who has “plot[ted]… evil against his neighbor” and “quarrel[led]… with a man without cause” will never be able to stand in the light of the Lord, for he has made his home in darkness, and in darkness he shall remain.  Certainly this “reprobate is despised” by the Lord, for his rebellion puts him in opposition to the kingdom of God.

And so we must “take heed, therefore, how [we] hear” the Lord’s instruction, for His instruction is as light itself and brings the light of salvation to the receptive soul.  This light we must make our own and place it “on a lampstand so that whoever comes in” – whoever approaches the house in which we dwell – “can see it” and can share in it freely.  All shade of sin must be removed from our souls so that without hindrance and without hesitation our light will shine forth and all will know the abiding love of the Lord.  “He who does these things shall never be disturbed.”  He who does these things, who reflects the Lord’s justice and love all his days, cannot but be blessed by the Lord, for he himself becomes His own.

“When He is dealing with the arrogant, He is stern, but to the humble He shows kindness.”  And so, having his deeds “brought to light” is as a curse for the wicked, but to the just it means eternal blessing.

 

*******

O LORD, all is known in your holy light:  

help us to do good and avoid evil. 

YHWH, let us walk blamelessly before you; in innocence let us dwell.  Let us not turn to the paths of the wicked but remain ever in your light, walking always in your way.  Then we shall be blessed with your presence. 

LORD, all shall be exposed in your holy light; from you none can hide.  And so, let us not be afraid to do your will with confidence, with faith in your protection and guidance.  Let us not shy away from shining your light with our very lives, for in this way we shall be kept from straying. 

Those who stray, O LORD, you condemn.  Those whose hearts are hardened against you walk the path to perdition, and so as long as they continue to travel in sin, their destruction is assured.  For darkness has no place in your kingdom of light, and those who proudly persist in their sin cannot but be cast from your presence.  But let us do no harm; let us honor you by thinking and speaking only truth and remaining ever humble before you.