Deal Justly

July 26, 2008

Memorial of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds; if each of you deals justly with his neighbor; if you no longer oppress the resident alien, the orphan, and the widow; if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place, or follow strange gods to your own harm, will I remain with you in this place, in the land which I gave your fathers long ago and forever. Jeremiah 7:5-7

While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. Matthew 13:25-26

Piety

Parents of Mary, pray for all parents that they may provide the loving home and faithful teaching that you provided your daughter. Amen (From www.catholic.org)

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/072608.shtml

How do we keep weeds from spouting in our lives?

The prophet Jeremiah provides a strong suggestion – perhaps a concise version of the commandments.

Deal justly with your neighbor.

No longer oppress the immigrant, stranger, widow or orphan.

Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Do not follow strange gods.

Jeremiah brings the Ten Commandments down to four and foreshadows Jesus and the Two Great Commandments. Not following this advice allows the weeds of sin to sprout in our lives.

The Master in Matthew's parable does not allow his servants to pull the weeds out. He allows the weeds to grow along with the good plants that bear fruit. Why would he not take that action? Matthews tells us that pulling the weeds now might damage the good plants as well.

God could eliminate all temptation in the world and then we would not have the lure of greed, sex, drugs and money and the rest of the sins we face. Why would He not do that? Perhaps because it would eliminate the possibility that some people would change and turn away from their sinful ways in order to follow God.

Action

Many prayer requests and palanca requests are needed by the Cursillo community. If you did not get Lay Director Mimi Fitzgerald's recent request, palanca is needed for the following:

First, the members of the Secretariat are spending some quiet time at Mt. Tabor from Friday evening until Saturday afternoon-July 25-26 - "Listening and being led in Prayer, Community and Service - Together."

The August Women's Team will have Talk Day this Saturday, July 26 at St. John Neumann's.

The October Men's Team will start formation on Sunday, July 27^th.

And the National Encounter will start at Catholic University on Thursday, July 31.

There is much to pray about and offer sacrifice for. Please keep all of these endeavors in your thoughts. Somehow it makes even our mundane, routine activities a little more alive when we keep others in mind!!