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 5, 2020

(2Tm.4:1-8;   Ps.71:8-9,14-17,22;   Mk.12:38-44)

“Put up with hardship, perform your work as an evangelist,

fulfill your ministry.”

In final words to his blessed disciple, Paul exhorts Timothy with all the strength he is able to muster “to preach the word, to stay with this task whether convenient or inconvenient – correcting, reproving, appealing – constantly teaching and never losing patience.”  He even invokes “the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is coming to judge the living and the dead,” to emphasize the seriousness of his charge.  Clearly the end approaches for Paul.  He himself states: “The time of my dissolution is near” – and so it is with great urgency he desires his preaching task to go forth, for Timothy’s own sake, that he might share the “merited crown” that awaits his father in the faith, and for all who look “for [the Lord’s] appearing with eager longing.”

Paul sees as he draws nigh to the Day of the Lord what has perhaps never been known so clearly as today, that “the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but, following their own desires, will surround themselves with teachers who tickle their ears.”  He prophecies so well what is true of every age but is magnified so greatly in the dark time in which we live: “They will stop listening to the truth and will wander off to fables.”  More have died in war in the last century than in all the rest of human history; and the martyrs’ blood has never mounted as high to heaven as in this atheistic age wherein all hearts turn away from true doctrine to enshrine the workings of their own hands and minds.  (May the smoke of Satan be blown from the confines of the Church and the devil’s veil of illusion be lifted from all minds!)

But we must not be as the scribes “who like to parade around in their robes and accept marks of respect in public, front seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.”  The prideful adulation that sparks the unholy fire of the cults so prevalent in our glamorous time is not what must call to our hearts or be the leaven for our souls.  We must but praise the Lord!  With our psalmist we must sing to our Lord and our God, “the Holy One of Israel”: “My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your glory day by day.”  We must “give [Him] thanks with music on the lyre,” with our body’s every fiber.

Brothers and sisters, we must “always hope and praise [God] ever more and more.”  Ever we are called to draw closer to the Lord.  We have not yet been as the widow who “gave from her want, all that she had to live on”; we have not yet been “poured out like a libation” as has Paul; we have not yet shed blood with Jesus on the cross.  We cannot yet say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”; for there is much race yet to be run and to the end our faith must endure and grow ever stronger day to day.  Indeed our ministry must be fulfilled, all our strength spent in witness to the Word of Truth.

*******

O LORD, send us true teachers of the faith,

that we might be so faithful ourselves,

pouring out our lives for your sake.

YHWH, to you let us turn in faith; instruct us ever in your way.  Let your truth alone be taught by all who stand in your place.  Laying down their lives for your flock, may they find their blessing on your Day.

And let us all lay down our lives with them; O LORD, let all men sing your praise.  For none is released from your call to preach, to live the faith all our days.

Soon your Son shall return; let our eyes be up and looking for His coming.  Let us desire to unite with you and so give all we have toward that end.  We may not have much to give, LORD, but if we place all at your service, you will multiply our good works and make us worthy to stand with you.

O LORD, keep us from those who lead souls astray by their words and by their actions.  To Jesus indeed let us look, and to His faithful disciples, to find the way we should walk.  If we are diligent in following you, if we are humble and speak the truth, you will bless us and all we do, and join our song to that of your saints.  May Jesus teach us this day.