CALENDARIUM ROMANUM FORMA ORDINARIA

Moses said : “The rest of the sabbath day shall be sacred to the Lord.” The Lord loves rest; he loves to rest in us that thus we may rest in him. But there is, too, a rest of the times to come, of which it is written: “From now on, says the Spirit, let them find rest from all their labors.” And there is a rest of the present time of which the prophet says: “Cease to do evil.” We come to the future rest by means of the six works of mercy enumerated in the Gospel in the place where it is said : “I was hungry and you gave me food”, etc (…). For “there are six days when work should be done”; then comes the night, that is death, “when no one can work”. After those six days comes the Sabbath day when every good work is completed. This is the rest of the soul. (Biblical references: Ex 31:15; Rv 14:13; Is 1,16; Mt 25:35f; Lk 13:14; Jn 9:4)

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team

Those who approach God, leaning on him with a desire to be saved, are saved indeed. For it is divine inspiration that enables them to conceive this desire for salvation and they come to knowledge of truth enlightened by him who calls them. They are indeed children of promise, the reward of faith, the spiritual descendants of Abraham, “a chosen race, a holy priesthood” (1 Pt 2:9), foreknown from long ago and predestined for eternal life. (…) Through the mediation of Isaiah, our Lord makes known his grace to us, to make new creatures of us all: “See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers (…) for my chosen people to drink, the people whom I formed for myself that they might announce my praise” And elsewhere: (…) “To me every knee shall bend, by me every tongue shall swear” (Is 43:19 f; 45:23). There is no question but that all this will come to pass, because God’s foreknowledge never fails nor do his plans alter, his will is ever active and his promises cannot be mistaken. Therefore all those to whom these words refer shall be saved. For he sets his laws in their consciences and with his finger he writes them in their hearts (Rom 2:15). They gain access to knowledge of God, not under the influence of human teaching but the guidance of the best of masters: “Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth” (1 Cor 3:7). (…) It is given to them all to have a changed heart and just judgement together with an upright will. God brings fear to birth in these people so that they may be instructed in his commandments. (…) They rejoice in the power of his mercy and all the miracles he has done, for God has chosen them and made them his children, heirs of the new covenant (Jr 31:31).

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team

No sooner had God seen the world overcome with fear than he set his love to work to call it back to himself, his grace to invite it and his affection to embrace it. At the time of the flood… he calls Noah to bring to birth a new world, encouraging him with words of sweetness, giving him his close confidence, instructing him with kindness concerning the present and consoling him by his grace concerning the future… He takes part in his labors and encloses within the ark the seed of the whole world so that love of his covenant might cast out all fear… Then God calls Abraham out from amongst the nations, makes his name great and causes him to become father of believers. He goes with him on the way, protects him in a foreign land, loads him with wealth, honors him with victories, assures him of his promises, rescues him from injustice, comforts him in his hospitality and astonishes him with an unlooked for birth so that, drawn by the great sweetness of divine love, he might learn… to worship God with love and no longer in fear. Later on, God consoles the fleeing Jacob in dreams. On his return he incites him to fight and, in the struggle, holds him tightly in his arms so that he might love the father of the combat and no longer fear him. Then he calls Moses and speaks to him with the love of a father to invite him to deliver his people. Through all these events the flame of divine charity consumed men’s hearts… and they, their hearts wounded, began to desire to see God with the eyes of their flesh… Love cannot accept not to see what it loves. Did not all the saints consider of little worth everything they gained while they were not beholding God…? Let no one think, therefore, that God was mistaken in coming to men through a man. He took flesh amongst us that he might be seen by us.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team