February 27

February 27, 2014:  Thursday, 7th week, Ordinary Time

Readings

• Jas 5:1-6  You rich, wail over your impending miseries.  The wages you withheld are crying out; the cries  have reached the Lord.  You've murdered the righteous one.

• Ps 49:14-20  "Blessed are the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!"  Fear not when one grows rich; when he dies, he'll take none of it.  God will redeem me.

• Mk 9:41-50  Anyone who gives you water because you belong to me won't lose his reward.  If your hand, foot, or eye causes you to sin, cut it off; better to live without it than be thrown into the fire.  Keep salt in yourselves and you'll have peace with each other.

Pope Francis

• Homily at today's Confirmation Mass:  The confirmed manifest desire to be Christian, to bear witness to Christ, to think, feel, and act Christian.  If one of these things is missing, it's wrong; Christians living in inconsistency/incoherence do harm.  James says, ‘The wages you withheld are crying out.’  Inconsistency gives scandal, and scandal kills.  When people say, ‘I don't believe in the Church; you say one thing and do another,’ it's about inconsistency.  When in atheists' presence you bear witness of Christian life (vs. arguing for God's existence), something works in their hearts, a restlessness on which the Spirit works.  Consistency is a grace; pray for it.  When we fall, let's humbly ask for forgiveness; he never tires of forgiving!  Live in Christian coherence, the witness of believers who know they're sinners and ask for forgiveness.

• To Focolare bishops:  Society needs witness of life showing love of one another.  Reciprocal love among Christians is a powerful evangelizing tool; people who realize it's possible and can transform relationships feel drawn to [re]discover Christ and to be involved in the Church.  Make the Church the home and school of communion.

Reflections

• Creighton:  What do we love?  Works of justice are a harder sell than works of mercy.

• One Bread One Body:  Go to extremes to resist temptation.

• Sacred Space

Music

• Doers of the word/ Peek (1st reading, homily) 
• The Beatitudes/ Pärt (psalm)
• Beatitudes Orthodox chant (psalm)
• You are blessed/ Collins, Hoffman (psalm)
• See yesterday for more "beatitunes"

Apparel

• Gold- and silver-colored accessories:  "your gold and silver are corroded" (1st reading)

• Scales pin:  your injustice cries out to God (1st reading)

• Sheep tie bar:  "like sheep they're herded into the nether world" (psalm)

• Stone tie pin:  it would be better if a millstone were put around the neck of one who causes others to sin (gospel)

• "Eyeball" tie pin:  if your eye causes you to sin... (gospel)

• "Hands" tie:  if your hand causes you to sin... (gospel)

• Shot-putter (bowler?) tie pin (feet visible):  if your foot causes you to sin... (gospel)

• "Peace sign" tie bar:  keep salt... and you'll have peace (gospel)

• Blue shirt:  whoever gives you water will be rewarded (gospel)

• Green in suspenders:  Ordinary Time (season)

Dress your life!

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